Ducks, Drakes and Ducklings
by Wynth
Summary: They were like ducklings: at first they were dependent on her, like she was a mother. Then they became men and started seeing her less like a mother and more like a lover. That's when all the trouble started. •GrimSakuUlqui / BLExNAR•
1. Sakura Haruno

_Ducks, Drakes and Ducklings came 2__nd__ in the poll so far. You are still welcome to vote for it if you'd like, but, well, here it is. :) I seem to be writing a lot of BLExNAR stories, haven't I? :P  
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_**HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVELY**! It's her birthday today (AUS)/tomorrow (USA, I presume) and since I had offered to write oneshot gifts to good friends of mine, she had said that the first chapter of DDD would be just fine instead. :D So here it is. Hope she doesn't mind if it's a little early.  
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_So! Warnings? Yes. OOC'ness but there are reasons why (I'd like to thank lovelylifeforall (the birthday girl) for giving me tips on Grimmjow's personality... even though it isn't purely shown until later chapters). However, please feel free to critique me. Appreciate it._

_I am a little worried ('cause I'm paranoid that way) that it won't live up to people's expectations and that I screwed up their characters. Lovely had given me some hope, but, well, I don't actually know the Bleach characters well. Still, I hope you... enjoy. :D

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DUCKS, DRAKES AND DUCKLINGS  
—**CHAPTER ONE—  
**_Sakura Haruno

* * *

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"Wake up, sleepyhead."

His eyes moved around under his lids, lashes fluttering as those cheery, melodic words danced in his mind. Briefly he felt a faint warmth grace over his eyes, and Ulquiorra moaned almost silently as he dropped his head to the side, his nose sinking into something fluffy. A soapy scent drifted into his nostrils, and sensation crawled back into his system slowly.

"Yoohoo," the voice sang; it was a female.

His muscles twitched. From what he knew, there were not many females he knew and personally came in contact with, and hardly any—if not, none—of those that he knew had the guts to sing in his ear like a child filled up on sugar. Furthermore, the alarmingly low chuckle that followed next after he numbly licked his lips, served to scare Ulquiorra, and he snapped his eyes open, instantly meeting distant irises of light blue accompanied by a wild shock of the same colour and an arrogant grin. Ulquiorra lidded his eyes within seconds, his brow furrowing and his fingers sinking into the white sheets of his bed.

Wait, bed?

Momentarily surprised by this new knowledge, Ulquiorra forgot his instant aggravation with the trash Grimmjow and directed his green eyes to the white bed covering he was resting on. It was soft under his skin, and he realised then that he was half naked, wrappings of bandages around his chest and torso.

And then he heard a familiar chiming voice in the form of a giggle, and he shot up from his laze, only to be suddenly forced back onto his bed by a suspicious pink-haired female with an eerie smile on her face. He must have seen his utter confusion—despite Ulquiorra's attempt at hiding it—as Grimmjow's loud cackle reverberated around the room, following with a stream of hacking coughs.

The female formerly assisting him put her hands on her hips and she scowled. "Serves you right, laughing at your friend."

If the blue-haired man could breathe, he would have scowled and shot a string of curses at her for suggesting such a thing, but considering he was out of commission, Ulquiorra gave his instant response instead, pushing his confusion aside for the moment. "He is _not_ my friend," he hissed, faulting at the sudden dryness in his throat.

His calm voice must have surprised the female, as she snapped her gaze back in his direction, to which he responded with a glare, swallowing in the mean time. Instead of backing off and minding her own business, her angelic facial features softened, and she looked at him with a sense of familiarity. His body tensed entirely, but a spark of pain in his upper chest caused his arm to jolt, catching in some thick, black handcuffs that were attached to his bed. Ulquiorra scowled, teeth bared as he glared vehemently at the chains encircling his wrist.

"I _told_ you not to say that!" Grimmjow growled hoarsely, his large hands grasping his throat as he let out a few random coughs. Ulquiorra didn't spare a glance at his... acquaintance, finding that while the woman in front of him wasn't the one in pain, at least hearing it from another was good enough to atone.

The female suddenly giggled, drawing a wooden clipboard to her chest as she pressed a hand to her lips. "I know," she sang. Grimmjow growled at her and grabbed a glass of water at his bedside table—his hand smothered the small cup—sculling the liquid down in a matter of seconds; and he didn't even tear his eyes from the female.

"Damn, woman."

"Release me," Ulquiorra said, green eyes narrowed. He cursed the fact that his attempt at being threatening was dulled by his dry throat. Something felt oddly... different.

Her jaw tightened, but instead she smiled. "Water, Ulquiorra Cifer?" she gestured to the drink beside him, but he only tensed even more.

"How do you know my name?" he asked lowly, suspicion drowning in his pores.

She gave him a 'duh' expression before pointing her chewed pencil tip at the seemingly pouting blue-haired man on the bed three metres from him. "Now, Sleepyhead. Water?" she asked again.

The black-haired Arrancar remained resolutely silent, black-tipped lips thin. Something was still odd.

The suspicious female frowned slightly, showing a completely different appearance to her former cheery persona. He watched as her expressions diffused from aggravation to a suppression of obvious irritation. "Ulquiorra Cifer. My name is Sakura Haruno, and I am your nurse." Her eyes softened. "I am not going to harm you."

"And these restraints say otherwise," he stated.

"Those _restraints_ are for this exact reason," Sakura quipped, pink eyebrows deepening to a graver frown. "And if you wanted them off, all you have to do is ask."

He mulled the offer in his mind. "How do you know I would not attack?"

She sighed. "Somehow I think Grimmy over there would be the first into a fight, not you." The cat-like man in the background snorted in protest at the new nickname bestowed upon him, his blue eyes widening. "Besides..." she rolled her shoulder. "He did attack when he awoke." Something in her eyes darkened as Ulquiorra felt an impending threat in her tone. But she just grinned. "And now he's as obedient as a kitten."

"Shut it, wench!"

Sakura twitched, Ulquiorra watching with some amusement as her eyes lidded and her lips pulled back to bare her back teeth. He did wonder, though, what exactly happened while he was still asleep. For that matter, he wondered how long he was under for. Sleep wasn't exactly something that came easily to him, so the effects of grogginess after he awoke came as a bit alarming to him, even though he hadn't shown it. Not to mention he must have been well under if he hadn't heard the scuffle that supposedly occurred between Haruno and the 'kitten'. He had to admit that a mere woman calling Sexta Espada rather weak and frail was something that Ulquiorra couldn't help but find amusing. The blue-haired man _was_ trash after all.

"You're hardly in the position to call me names, _Grimmy_," the Healer hissed. Ulquiorra could see her self-restraint bulging to the maximum in physical signs on her body, such as the evident vein on her neck and the consistent twitching of her eye. She reminded him somewhat of the man she was threatening; impulsive, quick to anger, and completely childish to be pulled into such a trivial thing as name-calling. If she was good, she would be able to recognise the sound of a kicked puppy, or in this case kitten.

So far, she was nothing special. Nothing to concern himself over. Nothing worth bloodying his hands for as soon as they were released.

"Don't condescend me, _woman_," the blue-haired Arrancar snapped. "If it wasn't for the fact that I happen to owe you for patching me up—badly, may I add—then I'd have you writhing on the floor with a broken nose!"

"Badly?" Sakura flinched. "Badly, my ass. Some of my best work was on your body."

He tugged up his shirt, baring his toned and muscled torso. "Where's the evidence? All I see is my skin. Where're my scars of battle? I demand them!"

"Stop being a child and that's exactly my point, stupid. Now silence. Be a good boy, finish your drink and go to sleep. Kami knows your friend needs his."

Grimmjow snarled. "My glass is empty—he's _not_ a friend!"

Ulquiorra couldn't but agree. "Refrain from hinting that we are on familiar terms, woman."

Sakura's face was tinged a light red, her hands enclosed tightly around her clipboard and pencil, but instantly her anger vanished with an almost wistful sigh. "Of course. My apologies." The black-haired Arrancar noted the tone of familiarity in her voice, and couldn't help but briefly ponder if there was someone she knew who happened to talk the same way he did. The chances were very low. Who else could talk monotonously like him? Who else could speak in a way that was devoid of all emotion? No trash human could.

"I'll get you another glass, Jaegerjaquez," she said shortly, grabbing the impulsive man's glass and swiftly heading for the exit

"Thanks, _mother_!" Grimmjow couldn't help but call out. She had momentarily paused, as though she was about to say something, but she clearly decided against it as she left. Ulquiorra kept his eyes on the doors, shifting his pale hands in the restraints uncomfortably before slowly falling back into his bed.

He didn't trust this place, wherever it was. He couldn't see Grimmjow worrying about important details such as who to trust considering he was far too brash to ask questions beforehand but Ulquiorra could tell that there was something about this place that was just odd. He had briefly caught sight of Grimmjow's skin as he lifted up his white shirt—provided by this hospital, assumedly—and was interested in the lack of a mark there.

He could distinctly remember seeing the Sexta earning a harsh blow to his side during the unexpected battle at Huenco Muendo. Unexpected, the battle was, but not as unexpected as this. The point was, this Haruno woman clearly had something up her sleeve if she was able to conjure up some parlour trick to make Grimmjow perfectly healthy—and this was no good thing to Ulquiorra himself, as he had no liking for the other. Yet he had felt nothing emanating from the female and she, therefore, wasn't a shinigami.

This unnerved him, and it was enough evidence to him for why he should not trust her or anyone else she should bring in. For their sake, the cuffs around his wrists were probably a smart thing. Had they not been there, he would have left through the open window in mere seconds.

"Hey, Cuarto," the trash called. Ulquiorra ignored him. "Cuarto. Cuarto! Oh, come on, shithead, you can't seriously be not wondering where the hell you are? Where _we _are?"

He had to admit, internally only though, that he had a point. He was interested in where they were. It was something that was lingering in the back of his mind as he pondered about the Haruno woman. Where was this place? Where was it that allowed for such healing if they did not have reiryoku?

Ulquiorra shifted his hands to check his own wounds but rolled his eyes in annoyance when he remembered that he couldn't move them. He had been wounded as well, and judging by the fact that he hadn't noticed any pain—besides a dull ache which was easily ignorable—and the fact that he could effortlessly move, his wounds had to have been healed. This just proved to enforce his suspicions. What secrets did his healer have?

"You don't have to think internally any more, dipshit, Aizen isn't even around."

He felt a flash of annoyance at the disrespect for the man he followed but there was little he could do without serving to amuse the man taunting him.

"I'm no happy camper having to end up in this ridiculous place with an ice cube like you, but hey, I'm not dead, that's gotta count for something. Next chance I get I'm gonna skewer that bastard's neck for wounding me. That woman did a pretty good job on healing me, though. There's nothing there, 'cept for the old scar I had from that fight with Kurosaki—"

"Be silent, Grimmjow. Your voice tires me," Ulquiorra cut in, wearily closing his eyes. He couldn't deny that he was tired, which was strange in itself.

"You rub me the wrong way too, Cuarto. So shut up," was the snarky reply.

"Too quiet. Be silent. Which do you prefer, Sexta?"

"You know what? Just go to fucking sleep. Your own voice is like nails on stone to my sensitive ears." Grimmjow shuffled around in his bed so that his back faced Ulquiorra. He had pulled the sheets up over his shoulder.

Ulquiorra would have groaned out loud but he didn't want to be further annoyed by his bedroom buddy. Gazing outside a nearby window, or at least as far as he could see, he realised that the day was swiftly ending. Orange rays were filling the room, shadows flittering across the light source as a blur.

He had tensed upon noticing them. It was a natural reaction to the unknown. Were there more like that woman? If so, then he wouldn't be able to sense them, especially in his current state. Ulquiorra frowned slightly. Really he should be able to sense something from another person. Had they done something to him? Speaking of which, he could hardly conjure up enough power to his forefinger without feeling even a little tired from the effort.

It just cemented his distrust for these people.

Glaring at a stream of bugs that were trailing up the outer side of the window, Ulquiorra was soon beginning to feel the effects of sleep dawning on him. Unfortunately, a soft snore from the other side of the room purged his thoughts and sleep escaped him. He sighed under his breath, and tensed his jaw at a particularly loud one that seemed to echo around the room. It was just his luck.

The door opened, and that Haruno woman entered, her hands full with a jug of fresh water with a filled glass. Her green eyes—vivid as his own—swept across the room before resting on him. She smiled.

"If he's keeping you up, just call me. I'll give you something to sleep," she said as she approached the table between the two beds; there was an empty vase sitting on it.

"How do I know you won't..." he narrowed his eyes at her, though he felt it was far less menacing while he was lying in a hospital bed, restrained, "...give me something else?"

The pinkette's shoulders dropped and she bit her lip, setting down her cargo on the table. Hands on her hips, she tilted her head towards Grimmjow. "I go through all the trouble to get him a glass of water and the baby is asleep before he even gets it."

"You did not answer my question," Ulquiorra said sharply.

A frown marred Sakura's forehead. "I do _not_ kill my own patients, Cifer. If you were to die, for whatever reason, I would have been ordered not to bother healing you as it would have been a waste of my strength—so they say."

"'They'?"

"Politicians," was her simple response. "Think they can decide who lives or dies based on what they've done, rather than what could possibly be."

"You believe a condemned man is redeemable." It wasn't a question.

He noted her expression soften instantly. It looked forlorn, her eyes falling back through her chest of memories. There was definitely something there. Ulquiorra had to remind himself, suddenly, why he was even conversing with this woman in the first place.

"I hope so," she whispered.

"Trash," he muttered.

Sakura instantly went rigid. Anger flashed across her eyes; real, burning, fiery anger that was completely different to the irritation she had shown before with Grimmjow. That was more like a playful banter, with her swelling up like an innocent defence technique. This was different. He half expected her to lash out at him, but was pleasantly surprised when her face went tight, and he was met with a look he had seen so many times reflecting back at him through a mirror.

"If you have trouble sleeping, don't hesitate to call," was all she said before she left, leaving in her wake a pale darkness.

Still his questions were not answered. He had yet to ask them. Questions like: why wasn't she acting more suspicious of him, other than the use of the cuffs? Why weren't they recoiling back in fear at the sight of a hole through his chest or the one in Grimmjow's stomach and still be considered alive? Why weren't they demanding answers for why he had a bone half-helmet pretty much glued to his—

Stark realisation dawned on him and he tilted his head to the left, feeling a glimmer of worry squirm in his stomach when he continued to feel no such thing brush against his shoulder. It was only when he felt the shell of his hear touch did he clench his fists and pull at the restraints, his eyes narrowed.

Where was his hollow mask? And now that he realised it, he couldn't recall seeing one on Grimmjow either. Did the man even know he no longer had it? Did he even—Ulquiorra cursed the restraints internally, wishing that he could just quickly check if the hollow hole was still situated where it usually was. If it wasn't... he didn't know what to do.

These signs were clear ones of being tied to an afterlife—hell, as it were. If they were gone, then either they were shinigami (_preposterous)_ or some real whacky magic trick had happened and the two were once again alive. It couldn't be the latter. There was no indication of anything like that even possibly happening while Huenco Muendo was under attack. It was just a normal battle. Well, a normal, unexpected, battle, but still a battle nonetheless.

He knew, now, that he had no reason to trust them. A brief thought traipsed through his mind however, and that was if Grimmjow perhaps had experienced any evidence to the contrary. True, he had only just woken up and was already dishing out silent hostilities without them even making their own case. Waiting perhaps would be best.

Causing a scene—even if they managed to subdue him—would only make things harder for him to unearth some answers. Waiting it out, listening, watching for anything would be best. As well as asking Sexta some questions. Until then, he'd be silent.

Forcing his erratic unrest and... fear... for his situation back into control was harder than he thought. Surviving on his own should be easy. He was skilled at it; working on his own. However, all those times he had either the stability of Aizen or of his race—the hole or the mask—to remind him of who he was and what he had to do. They were like an anchor for his existence. Fear was... unknown.

A snore.

Ulquiorra dropped his head back into his pillow, softly sighing in annoyance. To top things off, he had to live with his fear with someone who hated him, and the feeling was almost mutual.

* * *

A line of bugs curved onto outstretched pale fingers, marching underneath Shino's sleeves. Once the last one was gone, he took a step back from the open window and turned to the Hokage, Shizune beside her and Sakura leaning on her desk with a clipboard in her grip by her thigh. Tsunade sighed and dropped her head into her hand.

"Anything?" she asked, stifling a yawn. Shizune glared at the behaviour but remained silent, knowing full well that no matter how much she tried to ooze out enough responsibility for Tsunade for her last days, the woman would not follow. The prospect that it would be all over for her in just two weeks was something that made her quite lax in her ruling.

"They've mentioned some names," the Aburame responded. "'Aizen' and 'Kurosaki'. They also refer to each other with what could possibly be codenames: 'Sexta' and 'Cuarto'. Aside from the fact that they do not know where they are, they know the life of fighting and are clearly not friends."

Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Hostilities were exchanged," he explained.

She waved at him. "Hostilities, my ass. Kiba and Naruto are at each other's neck most of the time and more than half the things that come out of their mouths are curses and names directed toward the other. Who knows?" she shrugged. "Maybe they are... closet friends." A grin curled onto her lips.

"Sakura. You are the only one who has actually seen them interact with them both awake. Do you believe what you just said?" Tsunade asked.

Sakura's smile disappeared. "Yeah... you've got a point. Sorta reminds me of... Sasuke and Naruto, actually. Though somehow a little more violent." She sucked on the inside of her cheek in contemplation.

The Hokage paused. "The next Hokage... would he...?" she groaned to herself. "Never mind."

The pinkette looked curious for a moment. "Milady. Will we only find out who he is on the day of the induction? I mean, all we know is that he's a guy, since you keep saying 'he'."

"He was told that he could tell his closest friends but that is all," she explained. "And I don't think he even did that..."

Sakura frowned. "Clearly it's not Naruto then. He'd shout it out to the world." She shook her head. "Anyway, I think I know what question you were going to ask next: whether the next Hokage's personality is going to clash with theirs and make some unwanted tension?" she asked in a rush. All she got was a slow nod in return. "Right, well, let me put it this way. Grimmy, Patient 1, is like a combined version of Naruto and Kiba. Patient 2 is like Sasuke."

Tsunade and Shizune paled. "Kami help us," the former groaned burying her face into both hands. "Maybe things will go fine... as long as they don't piss him off too much," she said uncertainly. Sakura raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Lifting her head, the Sannin had an entirely new look of confidence written on her face. "Okay. We'll do it like this. Shizune, head to the library and ask a few of the staff about the names Shino mentioned: 'Aizen' and 'Kurosaki'. They have reports there delivered from almost every nation, so with any luck, we'll find an inkling of information about whoever they are."

"Or we could ask the patients," Sakura suggested, shrugging.

"Did they look as though they would be ready to talk? I did happen to hear about the sudden need to inject one of the patients with anaesthetic. That, alone, suggests unfamiliarity with his surroundings."

"What happened?" Shino interjected. Despite having a rather soft voice, he still somehow managed to purge conversations with ease.

Sakura deflated, previously riled up to debate with her former mentor. "I was healing one of the small scratches around Patient 1's face when he suddenly opened his eyes and had a hand at my throat. Nothing serious happened to me," she extenuated. "He was still weak from being wounded so I managed to pry his hand away and call in for some help to restrain him. That is all."

"Yet you call him 'Grimmy'?" he queried again.

The pinkette pressed a hand to her forehead while Tsunade smiled. "I-It's a thing," she tried to explain. "Look, he was being a total ass to me when I was tending to him. He was... calling me names so I... called him names right back." Her eyes darted around at the occupants of the room. "He hates 'Grimmy'," she added.

"Aside from that," Tsunade dismissed. "Did he say anything else to you?"

"No. He just told me his name when I asked, his... acquaintances, asked for mine and then started insulting me again. He did ask me some questions about my occupation but when I probed for some information, he shut up like a clam. After a while, when I felt as though he was comfortable, I released the restraints."

"Anything else in addition to Shino's information?" Shizune asked.

Sakura shook her head. "Well, aside from the fact that he seemed to have a fetish with the right side of his face—he kept running a hand over it—and with his stomach where his wound was, no. He only started complaining about my work when Patient 2 was awake." She crossed her arms as if say that she was done talking.

"He said he was impressed with your work," Shino commented dryly.

The medic double-taked. "What? Grim—uhh, Jaegerjaquez said that? That dry-nosed, prick!" she growled. All of a sudden she turned her fiery gaze on Shino. "Why can't you men just admit things right up? I swear you guys make things so complicated. Just be honest! It's not that hard!"

The Aburame raised an eyebrow at the accusation. "I believe you are lecturing the wrong person, Sakura."

"Right." She blushed, leaning back on the Hokage's desk and wrapping her arms around her waist with her clipboard pressed against her stomach. "Sorry."

"Enough," the Hokage cut in. "Shizune, remember your job. Shino, keep an eye on them with your bugs still, in case you manage to catch any stray hints that could help. Sakura, you're still their nurse until they are fully healed."

They nodded. "That shouldn't be long," Sakura said with a smile. "They've been out for a few weeks, so their wounds should be almost completely healed soon. With any luck, they'll be out Monday week."

* * *

"Hey, Grease-bone, you gave me too much sauce!" Grimmjow called to his pink-haired medic who was setting a food tray by Ulquiorra's bed.

She turned, body tensed, the Cuarto's green eyes eying his acquaintance emotionlessly. "I gave you too much sauce?" she huffed. "You said you wanted that much."

Grimmjow beamed, baring his canine. Sweat traced his lips. "It's too much. Got more food?"

Sakura's mouth opened and closed, no sound passing through her lips as she tried to put a lid on her aggravation with the man resting wounded in bed. Wait, did she really think 'man'? No. He was a stupid boy with a juvenile disposition who enjoyed making her life an utter hell! Oh, she knew he was doing this on purpose.

Ever since he woke up a day and a half ago he had made a point that he would act as though he absolutely hated everything she did for him ("There's dust in my drink! Get me a new one, woman! No. I'm keeping this one. A new one!" "I don't like these green things. What the fuck are they anyway? Hey! I'm keeping them!" "Ulquiorra is giving me a death glare. Blindfold him for me, will ya?") but always, pretty much, Shino would report later that he'd eat or drink it afterwards anyway. Funny thing is, if she'd call it on him later, he'd deny it and say another nurse had come in to take it away, or Ulquiorra had offered to dispose of it, or, a particularly ridiculous one, he had tossed it out the window because he thought it would help.

All this in just a few days.

What she wanted to know is why the man was doing this? Why was he purposely trying to piss her off and being such a bloody pain in the mean time? Why was he acting as though he wanted her to hit him? He was acting like a spoiled, stubborn brat who would only do the right things if his 'parent' wasn't in the same room because he didn't want to be seen doing the right thing.

Ulquiorra, she had to admit, was much nicer to be around. Not long after he woke up, and during the next day, the cuffs were removed, and Sakura had often caught him stroking his skin around his upper chest and running a hand through his black locks. He had looked uncomfortable, but she didn't probe.

He hadn't spoken much either, but once or twice he had muttered to ignore the 'trash' and had, to her surprise, suggested taping Grimmjow's mouth so that they'd both get peace and quiet. Still, she hadn't forgotten the night before when he had called her trash but it was clear, to her at least, that perhaps it was just a thing of the moment. While he wasn't eager to get to know her and answer her questions, he was more polite—a little.

"Sorry," she bit out. "It's this or nothing."

The blue-haired man's face half fell, making his pale skin seem even more sallow. Sakura noticed this, reminding herself to check up on him before she left. "Fine." Reluctantly, he grabbed a fork and started shovelling some sauce soaked meat into his mouth.

She sighed in relief.

"Woman."

And she sagged her shoulders, turning to Ulquiorra—who tore his eyes from a trail of bugs around the window frame—and sitting on his bed without permission. Honestly, she didn't give a damn at the moment. "Yes?" she asked, ignoring his narrowed eyes.

"Where are we?" he eventually asked.

She smiled. Good. Finally she'd be able to figure something out—with... any luck.

"You're in Konohagakure." At the confused expression in her eyes, Sakura felt uncertainty seep into her mind. She had been watching his face closely for any recognition, and while she was curious why he hadn't reacted to the Leaf headbands at all beforehand, she thought perhaps hearing the name would spark something. So far, nothing. He was blank. "Konoha?" she tried again.

His green eyes turned to Grimmjow and she followed his gaze. He too looked confused.

"Never heard of it," the muscled man said.

Sakura gaped. "Never heard of—you're kidding! Just where are you guys from?"

"None of your concern," Ulquiorra said.

"'None of my concern', my ass—"

"If you say so."

She growled at Grimmjow. "Konoha is one of the most well-known villages in the ninja regions. You can't not know it!"

"Nin...ja?" Ulquiorra frowned.

Her eyes widened. "Excuse me," she muttered as she rose to leave. They didn't stop her.

As soon as she was gone, the two were silent. Grimmjow was finishing chewing his food. "Well, we're fucked," he said.

* * *

"Are you sure?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes. There's no mistaking the lack of recognition in his eyes. I may be no Ino or Hyuuga but even an Academy student could see that they didn't recognise the name."

Tsunade closed her eyes and exhaled, her right hand hovering over the spout of a sake bottle just waiting to be drunk. "Questions just keep coming for those two. Shino has reported that the two of them hardly talk with sense when no one is around; one is silent, the other is glaring and cursing him. On top of that, Shizune hasn't found anything." She groaned. "I'm so glad that they won't be my problem soon."

Sakura put her hands on her hips and frowned. "Or the entire of Konoha if they do prove to be a threat. I don't even know who this Hokage is! What if he's a complete imbecile who doesn't have a shred of morals, or who prefers interrogation over stealth? I mean, I know you chose him, Milady, but a high position can change a man. He might not be able to handle the situation if it's given to him straight away."

The Hokage waved a hand in dismissal. "I get your point, Sakura, I do. Trust me on this. The new Hokage will do well." She matched Sakura's concerned expression and paused before inevitably dropping her head. "Fine. Even after I've been relieved of the title I'll take part in the investigation, and pray the outcome won't disturb my retirement."

"Good." The medic started playing with her hands uncertainly. "I know there's something strange about them. Cifer, I know, is constantly looking around and analysing his position. Jaegerjaquez is just so out of place, even for our village, and he just exhibits an overwhelming sense of predation and then some."

"So they are something to be watched."

She nodded firmly. "Yes. Definitely. Though it will have to be done very discreetly."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying something about the skills of our ANBU, Sakura?"

The pink-haired medic gaped, shaking her head and hands. "No! Of course not! Kami knows Shino and Neji are excellent ANBU, but Cifer... I mean it when he's like Sasuke," she whispered at the end. "He's looking around for reasons he shouldn't trust us, or the opposite. He's just always on edge."

"True, that may be a problem," the blonde admitted. "In that case I get what you mean. The ANBU constantly pass the hospital, and if this patient has good eyes as you are suggesting, then he may very well think something we do not intend."

There was a pause, wherein Sakura gazed around the office. Tsunade was more than ready to leave. Any of her personal belongings were sitting on closed boxes, ready to be taped up and moved to her home so that the room would be clean for the new Hokage to decorate. Sakura wondered profusely who it was; so did the rest of Konoha no doubt. She only hoped that he would be as good as Milady seemed to believe. Idly she wondered how he would decorate his office.

"I'll figure it out," Tsunade said, at last, taking a swig of her alcohol. "Being blatantly obvious about watching them won't work, and sending Yamanaka or someone else from the Interrogation department would just create more tension." She matched Sakura's eyes. "Are you sure about everything you've just said? From what I hear from the other personnel, Jaegerjaquez seems content where he is, though perhaps a little pale."

"Yeah. I noticed that too," she spoke as though in deep thought. "From the looks of it, it was a little fever, so I administered some pills to help get rid of it before I came here. I'll take another look when I return." She sighed before clenching her fists, pouting angrily. "And by content you mean pissing me off."

Tsunade laughed, swinging her bottle from side to side to shake the contents. "Maybe you should stop falling for his tricks all the time, Sakura. Then he'll back off."

She clenched her hands into fists. "I've tried. You've never been in that room when he's acting like a little kid!" She then adopted a gruff voice as she mimicked him. "'The water's too cold. Bring me a warmer one.' And he doesn't even let me take his fucking glass!"

The Hokage was laughing quietly behind a hand as the pinkette seethed, her face red.

"I know he's doing it on purpose but it's his stupid face that makes it all the more annoying," she complained again. "He's the most annoying and problematic patient I have ever had."

"Oh." Tsunade waved her hand. "That's not true. The most annoying time you've had with a patient is when Naruto and Kiba were cooped up in the same room six months ago, wounded badly during an out-of-hand spar."

"But that takes two," Sakura pointed out, holding up two fingers. "Jaegerjaquez is succeeding in being as annoying as the both of them combined. He's _that_ bad."

"Okay, okay," the Hokage gave in, though there was still a huge smile on her face to say that she still found the situation hilarious. "It'll stop eventually."

"It better." She crossed her arms and scowled. "Speaking of which, what are we going to do when they are completely healed?"

"We'll discuss it with the next Hokage. Until then, don't think on it," the busty blonde said, drinking from her bottle and then turning it upside down when she didn't get anything. Sakura left quickly, knowing that the still Hokage would demand her to get another bottle of sake, and if she said no, she'd blackmail her by saying that her time was almost up and that it'd be nice if she did it. The older female would have a death glare on her face as she'd say it, so no one could refuse.

* * *

The days after that were frightfully slow. Perhaps it was because she was wishing for that Sunday when the new Hokage would be announced and so a decision could be finally made on what would happen to the newest additions to the hospital. Or perhaps it was because she was always dreading the moments she'd walk into the hospital room and be faced with a talkative Grimmjow, but he still seemed to look a little pale ever since she had started the pill treatment. She planned to leave it for a few days more.

Ulquiorra had told her, once, the most words he had spoken at a time and while the kitten was asleep, that the man was strangely more annoying here than where they usually called home. This irritated him, and he suggested that she get a new nurse to take her place if it was really her presence that was causing this change. The idea had crossed her mind but Sakura was stubborn. She wouldn't give in to a persistent, little fly like Grimmjow—even though she was the type of person who yelled and threatened at pesky flies that didn't leave her alone. Besides, the Hokage gave her this task and she'd complete it or Kami help her...

So every day for each quick check-up, which were getting fewer and shorter, she'd endure Grimmjow's voice. And when Sunday would come and they would sit down to discuss which direction to go down, she'd laugh at the misfortune the next person would have in controlling Grimmjow and his constant yammering. She'd finally be free of him and his silent partner, revelling in the next task of taking care of another patient who'd hopefully only have a bad case of in-grown toe-nail or something.

She looked forward to that day.

* * *

Night.

"Grimmjow."

A soft snore.

"Grimmjow, don't act."

The blue-haired man turned around in his bed to send Ulquiorra a glare. "What?" he snapped.

The Cuarto Espada narrowed his eyes right back at him, but for a different reason. Grimmjow's face was a pasty white, sweat in small beads tracing his row and cheeks. There was an almost hysterical looks in his eyes that were glowing in the dark like a cat, yet there was still signs of soberness if he could respond 'appropriately'.

Ulquiorra ignored it. "It's gone beyond amusing," he said.

"What the hell do you mean?"

"What are you up to?" he asked. "Why are you so intent on being a complete fool?"

Grimmjow snorted. "Go back to sleep, Cuarto," he grunted as he turned around again.

"Don't turn your back on me, Sexta," Ulquiorra warned. "You are getting beyond annoying and childish."

The blue-haired Espada chuckled, and the other man was briefly curious for why he was making such a sound. If he recalled correctly, he was warning his pathetic acquaintance; that surely wouldn't lead to a laugh, would it? Now he was worried. What was going through that idiot's head?

Turned out he didn't need to say anything, as Grimmjow beamed over his shoulder, his bright blue eyes glinting almost maliciously. "S'not easy being human, is it?"

Ulquiorra's heart pounded and his face twisted into one of severe annoyance. "I'm not—" but he stopped, his mind officially processing what the other said. Human. He was saying he was human. But he wasn't... shit. That was why. That was why he had been feeling so odd and overwhelmed with so many things, specifically his emotions. His mood would change sporadically, and he couldn't understand why. That was why he had fear for the loss of certain signatures that identified him as an Arrancar. It—

Before either of them knew it, Ulquiorra flung himself off the bed and delivered a loud punch. Grimmjow shot out of his bed and crashed against the hospital wall, receiving no time to block another punch to his face. A loud crack echoed in the small room and the blue-haired man felt a burst of pain as his nose was crushed. He let out a yelp—a sound reminiscent of an injured cat—before trying to regain his senses. He was disorientated.

He weakly blocked another punch from the Espada towering over him, his white arms flecked with Grimmjow's blood. He had never seen such an emotion on Ulquiorra's face. His green eyes were narrowed in anger, his lips twisted into a silent snarl, his teeth clenched and bared. It was almost... scary.

"Gerrof!" he growled through blood drooling down his face. Seeing another blow coming to his gut, Grimmjow tried to block again, redirecting the attempt to beside his head and then lifting his leg and jabbing Ulquiorra in the stomach. The other barely winced before he attacked again.

It didn't hit. At the last second, Ulquiorra was suddenly pulled from him and tossed across the room by a ninja wearing black and a white mask. There was another crouching on the window sill with a hand grasping a tantō on his back, ready to pull it out. Grimmjow grasped his face, covering his bloody nose and breathing heavily. Ulquiorra was panting on the other side of the room, death written on his face as he glared past the ninja.

"So we were being watched," he said, wiping at some blood leaking from his mouth.

The black ninja spoke next, his voice muffled by the mask. "Do you expect me to believe you were beating up your comrade just to check that for certain?"

Ulquiorra didn't say a word. By that time, he didn't need to. The hospital doors flung open and the lights were switched on. Standing there at the entrance was a furious pink-haired medic, tire in her eyes and her hair in complete disarray. "What's going on?" she demanded. She caught sight of Ulquiorra first and ran to him, seeing the little blood on his face.

As soon as her hand was out to heal the small cut, he whacked it away roughly, glaring venomously at her. She glowered back as well.

"This patient was beating the other one up," the ninja at the window explained to the angry nurse.

Sakura groaned. "Such children," she mumbled. "Are you telling me you ANBU couldn't handle two wounded patients without hurting one of them?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Now where's Grimmjow?"

"How can you miss me? I'm the white, bloody lump!" said man shouted.

The medic gaped when she saw the blood covering his face and slowly she dragged her eyes back to the now stoic black-haired patient in the corner. Closing her mouth and frowning, she shook her head slightly before stepping over to Grimmjow, moving her dressing gown out of the way as she dropped to her knees. Her hands started hovering over his face and she pulled away his own in a hurry.

Biting her lip, Sakura fumbled at the end of Grimmjow's white hospital shirt and tore of an end, using it to soak up the blood on his face. Gently, at the same time, she pressed two fingers against the bridge of his nose, earning a howl of pain.

"What the bloody hell?" he screamed. "I've had way worse than this but yet it's—"

The 'ANBU' standing in the room crossed his arms. "Maybe it's because you're 'human'," he quoted.

Grimmjow felt silent, his blue eyes pointed at the ninja. Sakura glanced between the two men, and even at Ulquiorra and the other ninja at the window, before rolling her eyes and continuing to dab at the blood.

"It seems you'll have something to report to the Hokage now," she said. "And I daresay it's very interesting but right now this man is wounded, the room is in a mess and both of my patients are in a restless state. Not to mention I was woken up and I've had very. Little. Sleep. So _please _leave it til morning," Sakura huffed.

The ANBU member crouched before her and tilted his head. She met his gaze through the white mask with gritted teeth. "I don't think this can wait til morning," the man said, shaking his head.

Sakura groaned. "Fine. Go wake her up if you dare."

He hesitated for a moment before he raised a hand. The other ninja by the window disappeared in a blur. "Do you need any help, Haruno?"

The pinkette tried testing Grimmjow's broken nose again but he growled at her in response. His attitude now testing her patience, she clenched her teeth and looked back between the other occupants as she attempted again. At another failed shot she looked at Ulquiorra.

"Tie him up again," she ordered.

Ulquiorra's eyebrows twitched as he tensed his body, ready to stave the ANBU member off. He seemed to be powering up for something but he suddenly found himself kneeling on the floor, a pale hand grasping his chest as he panted heavily. Sakura had no time to scramble over him to check the damage as she had finally gotten Grimmjow to calm down and was currently testing his nose—she actually removed movement from his arms temporarily to work.

The Arrancar was breathing harshly through his nostrils as he tried to hold back a moan of pain while she tried to fix up the outer edges of the break, the green glow seemingly melting into his skin. She met his blue eyes, noting a strange sort of relief in them as he relaxed completely—in the background, Ulquiorra glared even more.

"Don't worry," she whispered soothingly. "You'll be fine. I'm your nurse."

He cracked an awkward grin. "And that's meant to comfort—me?" He winced near the end of his sentence. "I should plan my funeral."

Despite feeling absolutely exhausted and pissed, Sakura couldn't help the tired smile that breached her lips. She didn't respond to the snarky insult but instead stood up, holding out a hand.

"Come on. We'll have to get it fixed up."

* * *

_Please give concrit! And I'll give e-cookies! *puts down basket full of soft e-cookies* And don't forget to vote in my poll if you haven't! :3  
_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Naruto or Bleach_


	2. Induction

_o.o *rubs eyes* O.O *sputters* Seriously people, I didn't expect so much feedback and the like on the first chapter! I feel unworthy. But still, thank you so much. There are a few reviews that I hadn't replied to yet, when I had every intention to, but I think you'd prefer me to update this story instead, yes? The things some of you guys said really made me feel good. The fact that it made some of you speechless just... makes me speechless! I feel like crying._

_In short... thank you guys so much for the alerts, favourites and reviews. Look at me, I'm glowing! *glows*  
_

_This chapter made me angry, though. I lost interest in Bleach and the story but I gained inspiration pretty quick for the end. I'm now interested in the drama that is going to follow for Sakura, Ulquiorra and Grimmjow. It'll be one of the first chapter stories that is not entirely action. I hope you are interested too. :3_

_Now, enjoy! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!  


* * *

_

—**CHAPTER TWO—  
**_Induction

* * *

_

Sakura paced.

The very early events had tired her out almost completely but yet she couldn't relax until she had sorted out the ever so annoying problem with her patients. She was still wearing her pyjama's, which was quite uncomfortable as she walked between rooms in the hospital because she was getting stares by the late night nurses. Right then, however, she was in Ulquiorra's new room, treading the same path over and over again in front of the door, hand under her chin in thought.

He was there too, newly restrained to a bed. His green eyes were following her repeated steps, which she ignored. Honestly, she was shocked after hearing Grimmjow's side of the story—though he did dramatise it a bit—and she realised that she would actually have to hear the ANBU's story to get the entire thing. Grimmjow refused to say what the conversation was about before the attack, but clearly it was the catalyst. So she was nervous.

She paused and looked at him. He had always reminded her of Sasuke: cold; emotionless; short sentences; not one to divulge anything; resilient; stubborn; underestimating and probably more but in her tired state it was difficult to even string up that thought. One difference, though, was that Ulquiorra stared.

Sasuke refused to meet her or anybody's eyes for more than a few seconds, but Ulquiorra kept his gaze trained on her. She knew what was going through his mind. He saw her as a threat and was watching and analysing her. This made things interesting.

They did, after all, suspect that those two had gone through a life of some kind to be able to survive the wounds they found them with; as well as any side habits she or the other nurses had picked up that were just odd for a ninja (staring at their forefinger for example). That action (not the only one though) just convinced Tsunade and the others in on the secret that the two did have some sort of power beforehand, but were clearly having trouble accessing it. Ulquiorra was more obvious. It was as though he was desperate to get whatever he lost back because he wanted to leave. Whether Grimmjow believed the same, Sakura didn't know, but she had an inkling that he was up to something. If anything, he was the one they had to watch more carefully.

Sakura groaned as she swayed and teetered over to his bed. "Mind telling me what that was about before I ask the ANBU?"

He _tsk'd_, looking away for the first time that morning (it was about two thirty). "Pathetic," he muttered.

"Says the one currently chained up like a dog," Sakura countered.

Ulquiorra jolted; a failed attempt at keeping her quiet. A grimace was on his face, his fists tightening.

The medic frowned. "And I thought I'd seen everything," she remarked. He didn't budge. "I'm no expert at reading expressions or emotions but I swear I just saw a bit of anger."

"And my attempt at an attack said otherwise?" he responded coldly.

"I meant anger towards yourself."

He glanced up at her but didn't say anything. She missed his expression, and therefore what was going through his mind. Inhaling deeply, Sakura drew herself up to a new height and put her hands on her hips.

"I bet there are so many things you want to call me right now. Pathetic. Trash. Annoying," she counted. "Yet I'm not feeling the emotion behind it." Silence. "Oh, don't tell me you're one of those people that had to live a life devoid of emotion and bonds to survive? I've heard that story way too many times, that now it's a bore. Whoever ordered that of you was a fool."

He lashed again, and instantly the same expression of self-loathing she had seen before crossed his face as he receded back into his bed. He lay there, panting, his eyes closed and his fingernails digging into his palm.

"Just leave."

Sakura looked pensive. "I've hit a soft spot," she mumbled.

"Leave."

Fixing up the sleeve of her pale blue dressing gown, she turned and left. The questions just kept coming.

* * *

Tsunade's eyes turned into slits. "Really?"

The ANBU nodded, pacing before the Hokage's desk in short, casual steps. "Affirmative. Hebi can approve. His bugs were at the scene." He swayed to a halt, his pale eyes looking out the tower window and over the rooftops of Konoha. The sun had just risen over the tree-top horizon. "They should be placed under security."

The blonde Sannin nodded brusquely, her nails caressing the hourglass edge of a sake bottle. Her cheeks were slightly red to hint that she had been drinking, but it was only enough so that she still remained sober. Somehow she knew she'd definitely need to hold back in these lasts few days, as they were going to be hectic, but for the very same reason, she longed to drown her sorrows.

A sigh escaped her lips. "Sakura has informed me that they should be put under watch but she is under the impression that doing so would just stretch the rope of trust."

The ANBU scoffed. "And it already hasn't been stretched?" He crossed his arms and turned to the Hokage. "Patient 2 is already suspicious of us, plainly stating so when we stopped the fight. We can't cause more harm than what has already been done."

"Rabbit, I—"

There was a soft rapping at the door and it opened a peek before swinging open more. Sakura stepped in, looking better than she had that morning when there was that fight in her patient's room. Her pink hair was groomed, bundled into a side ponytail that slung over her shoulder. She was dressed in the nurse's uniform with a clipboard in her hand. It was like she never departed from it. Still, despite her refreshed appearance, she still looked dreadfully tired.

"Milady, I—oh," she paused, her green eyes resting on the other occupant in the room. She nodded placidly. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise."

Rabbit faced her fully, and she could only guess that he was wearing a slight smile on his face when he replied, "That's why you wait for the response, Sakura."

The rosette sighed and rolled her eyes. "Good morning, whoever you are," she mumbled with a cheeky smile.

The member stiffened and gave her a curt brow.

"Okaaay," she said hesitantly. She gestured to him while she looked to Tsunade. "Clearly I know this person."

He chuckled but pressed a finger to his white mask as a sign to keep silent.

"Enough you two," Tsunade sighed, taking a swig of her sake. "Cut the flirting and let's get to business."

The two switched from playful banter to business mode in a heartbeat, approaching the Hokage's desk in unison as the meeting was about to begin. Tsunade gestured to Sakura to begin, who glanced at her clipboard and flipped over a page.

"Well, Cifer has been relocated to a smaller room down the hall. He's been restrained, just like I asked, and he's currently in a very... tetchy mood," she ended uncertainly.

"Tetchy?" Rabbit asked.

She inhaled. "I pulled an Ino." Sakura didn't give them a chance to talk before she continued. "I know, interrogation isn't my thing but he was asking for it. He was... being a pain."

"Not Jaegerjaquez this time?" Tsunade asked with a raised eyebrow. Sakura's glare was half-hearted.

"No." She rolled her eyes. "Damage control-wise. Jaegerjaquez has a simple broken nose, but he seems pretty worked up about the fact that it hurt a lot more than he expected." She scrunched up her nose. "And he is looking healthier than he was before."

Tsunade pursed her lips. "Healthier? When did you notice this change?"

Sakura shrugged. "He looked the same sickly white when the attack started but as soon as he was put back to rest in bed, colour had returned to his skin and he had stopped sweating. Maybe it was Cifer's presence that was stressing him."

Rabbit shook his head. "I doubt it. Patient 1 hardly looked the type to be stressed about anything."

"Oh?" Sakura raised an eyebrow. "What are you best friends now?"

"Very funny, Sakura," he responded dryly.

Tsunade cleared her throat, her hand shading her forehead. "Rabbit. Care to inform Sakura what you just told me?"

The ANBU looked hesitant for a moment before he nodded curtly. "We have received intel from ANBU member Hebi that has given us reason to suspect some other forces around the appearance of these two. Patient 1 had goaded Patient 2 into a fight by using very few words, one of which was 'human'. I think it's easy to deduce what that means."

Sakura nodded in agreement, her brow furrowed. "I fear getting the rest of the story will be much harder—and how exactly did you get this information? An Aburame?" Rabbit stayed silent. "And I thought I was s_mart_ in suggesting we ask Shino to plant a few of his bugs outside their room. Of_ course_ the ANBU would think—eh? Shino is Hebi?"

The ANBU member turned to Tsunade and sagged his shoulders, sighing. "Took you long enough, Sakura."

She jabbed a finger at him. "Hey! He's hard enough to get to know without him disappearing all the time!" She poked Rabbit's white breast-plate armour a few times in irritation before he whacked her hand away. "And stop scowling!" she warned, her finger right below the chin of his mask.

"What gave me away?"

Sakura stood on her tippy toes to glare him in the eyes properly, but he was still half a head taller than her. "I could hear it."

"Okay now, children," Tsunade called.

Sakura crossed her arms, the clipboard now on the Hokage's desk as she stared up at the ANBU. "You're so much different now than you were back in the room."

"I've given my report, and now if you'll be so kind Sakura, I believe the Lady Hokage would like to speak to us." He titled his head towards her the blonde who was glaring at the both of them with a fist tucked below her chin.

The rosette sighed, visibly calming down. "Of course, sorry Milady."

She grunted. "Rabbit, anything more to report?" He shook his head. "Then your suggestion."

"You've already said that Sakura believes setting up an obvious watch may distress them, and while I'll hold to my previous suggestion, perhaps... stress is the last thing they, and we, need. I'm assuming, in that case, we won't be getting Ino or someone else from the Interrogation department to get the info out of them?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Probably not; at least as not our first option. We'll try something else first."

"I see. And what is this other plan?"

Sakura stared curiously at her previous mentor, wondering herself what the plan was. She was disappointed when she shook her head and sighed.

"I have an idea, but it is not complete yet." She stretched in her seat, her back cracking. "Wait til the Hokage is appointed. The day after is when we agreed to sit down and figure out what to do next after they're fully healed—to a degree."

Rabbit agreed confidently. "Two days then. I shall bring in Shino as well since he's also involved."

"I can't wait to find out who the Hokage is!" Sakura cried passionately. The ANBU chuckled.

* * *

Grimmjow scowled at all the people swarming up the street by his window. They were awfully loud, yet he couldn't deny his curiosity for what was going on. Ever since he had ended up in this bizarre place, things had been strange. Firstly, he was human and he was actually relieved with the knowledge. While having the rank of an Arrancar was definitely a worthy status, he found he had actually missed some of the subtle pleasures of being human. He enjoyed it, and was utterly annoyed with the Cuarto trying to mess everything up.

Yes, he did know that he no longer had the hole, and that he didn't have his mask. He didn't have the blue marks by his eyes either, so he wondered if he still had the giant six on his back. He doubted it, though; one of the nurses would have pointed it out. In that case, it seemed that every tie they had to being an Arrancar was completely gone.

As well as the power.

He had quickly learned when he attacked the pink-haired nurse that he didn't have his old strength. There was no energy sparking within him when he flared himself for battle, and he had seen the dipshit Ulquiorra collapse to his knees under the strain of being unable to produce a Cero—though, honestly, why would the idiot conjure up an attack like that in such an enclosed space?

It was like they had switched roles. Ulquiorra was obvious, and by now he had to have figured out, at least, that he was stuck and would need to blend in, as well as to control his emotions since he was incredibly unstable. If he didn't, Grimmjow would certainly have something to say about it. He didn't know where he was but for once he wasn't being forced into submission by a prick he didn't even like. He had freedom—or at least had a higher chance in obtaining it when he was released.

What would happen after his release was something he didn't know. But right now, he knew that his life was in that nurse's hands. He hated depending on such beings but for now it was necessary for his survival.

Hopefully it wouldn't last long.

A quiet stream of knocks on the door caused him to tear his gaze from the crowded street outside and to the door. It opened, and his nurse stepped in, except she wasn't wearing her usual uniform (instead grey pants and an earthy brown, thin strapped shirt) and was carrying a bundle of clothes. Her long hair was twisted into a messy bun on the lower, right side of her head as she smiled.

"How are you doing, Jaegerjaquez?" she asked.

He twitched his lips. How could he forget? There was something wiggy going on behind all the shit he had to wade through. For some bizarre reason, he had gotten quite sick, and all of a sudden, two nights ago, he had felt perfectly fine—except for the broken nose of course; he felt stupid having a white tape over the bridge of his nose.

He grunted. "What's going on out there?"

"Oh, just a little ceremony. Konoha is getting a new leader today," she said in excitement.

Grimmjow didn't see why the woman was so excited. A new leader. Yippee. Note the sarcasm. His leader was a psychotic bastard who was using them like throw away toys. It was probably going to be some long, annoying, senseless event where the new leader would be an eyesore. White, long hair and skin that was as wrinkly as the small ripples of a pond—not that he stared at ponds much.

If he was in her position, he'd be doing something a little more fun. Such as hunting down some bad guys to threaten and kill, or scoping out the new land. Or even—

"And you're coming with me."

—going with her. Wait, what?

He whirled around as fast as lightning, his eyes wide as they landed on the clothes she had brought along. "No way," he stated promptly.

"You have no choice," she stated sweetly. Grimmjow wanted to so badly bash her face in. He would not follow her orders. She was hardly intimidating, not even as half as Aizen was!... and now he had to smash his head against the wall for even _complimenting_ the power-hungry badger.

"I don't talk orders from..." he stopped, not knowing what to say next.

Funny, normally he had a lot to say about this sort of thing, but seeing her standing there with arms outstretched towards him and holding the clothes, her eyes closed as she tilted her head at him, her smile that stretched only slightly to let him know that he'd better do what she said or _he'd face her wrath_!... just made him _tsk_ and look away.

He was done with following orders.

"You need to get some fresh air," Sakura said again. "It's not good to be cooped up all day. I'm not going to threaten you."

He scoffed. Hadn't she been doing just that?

He glanced over his shoulder and saw that her eyes were closed, probably in thought. He knew he was going to regret this but... he grabbed at the clothes roughly, jostling her from her thoughts.

"I'm doing this because I want to," he growled, glaring at her. She smiled knowingly before leaving to give him some privacy.

"Come out when you're done," she called out on the other side of the door.

Alone, Grimmjow stared at the clothes she had gotten them. They were much better than the stupid hospital ones he was condemned to wear, but they look a little more tight fitted than the Arrancar robes he was used to wearing back home. Setting the clothes on the bed, he pulled them apart to get a better look.

Who the hell who wore clothes like this? And he wouldn't be caught dead wearing that ugly brown top she had given him, so he tossed it over his shoulder, took off his own shirt and slipped on a fishnet top instead. His fingers lingered over his stomach, where the hollow hole used to be.

Did they even see it? If they did, did Sakura heal it? Why was it always the woman who had such interesting powers? Still, she was a woman nonetheless. That, alone, told him that they wouldn't have the natural strength and stamina that he would have—if he ever got it back that is.

Seriously. How much power could these ninja possibly have?

It was hardly a minute later when Grimmjow opened the door lazily and strolled out, his other hand raking through his wild, blue hair. "This better be worth—"

He met wide eyes of brown and unconsciously he let his eyes drop to study this new person who was suddenly in his personal bubble. Growling, he pushed the female back roughly so that she hit the wall of the corridor.

Resting against it coolly, the brunette nurse tended to her aching shoulder and glared at the blue-haired man, her lips set into a full pout. He cut in before she even had the chance to respond—Kami, were all female nurses easily angered like Sakura?

"Where's the Haruno woman?" he demanded, rolling his head.

The nurse huffed. "For Kami's sake. If you had just asked that to begin with rather than man handling me..."

"Che. Whatever," he dismissed.

The brunette growled but didn't say anything about his attitude. "She had to quickly do something. She'll be back soon. Meanwhile, she told me to watch you, so watch you I will!" And she set her brown eyes on him like she was a hawk stalking a prey.

If he had been anybody else, he would have felt slightly unnerved by the expression in her eyes but he let it roll, falling back onto the door of his room instead. His head was driving him insane—so was his nose, for that matter. He was feeling sick again, but was unsure whether it really needed someone to take a look.

The nurse copied him, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms. Her steely eyes never left him. He swore she hadn't even blinked yet.

At that moment, however, the strange quirks his current vulture had were the least of his problems. Several doors down, Ulquiorra stepped out of his room. Grimmjow had to smother a laugh when he saw that the black-haired Arrancar was being escorted by a nurse and another one of those ninja who wore those freaky white masks. He excitedly noted that he was cuffed as well. What annoyed Grimmjow, though, was that they were heading in his direction—or maybe it was an opportunity.

Ulquiorra lifted his head and his green eyes met Grimmjow's baby blue. They narrowed—both of the now humans. Grimmjow noted that the masked ninja behind Ulquiorra had stiffened when the Cuarto Espada had, and he fought a roguish grin.

It was actually interesting to see the normally contained man... well... contained.

At the corner, his corner, the nurse turned and the masked ninja had to nudge Ulquiorra to turn as well. His eyes had left Grimmjow's, and the latter knew exactly what sort of message that had been sent through the link.

_We have to talk._

Curious, Grimmjow watched the other leave.

"Okay, Herumi."

His ears perked, and the nurse by him straightened considerably as the familiar, pink-haired ninja returned from further up the hall. He noted the skip in her step as she approached them and placed a hand on the brunette nurses' shoulder.

"Thanks for the cover. Go back to your shift," Sakura suggested with a smile.

Herumi looked relieved. "Thank, Kami. I'll take Taguchi and his tall tales any day." Without another glance, she left back the way Sakura had come.

"Let's go, Jaegerjaquez."

He was going to regret this, wasn't he?

* * *

Sakura swerved through the crowd like a minx, Grimmjow following behind her but having a little more trouble in not bumping into anybody. He was immensely peeved that it was so crowded, and that they didn't have front row seats, but was more annoyed that she seemed to be taking him to the back of the crowd which was ages away from the front.

He scowled as he leaned against the wall of a house, Sakura swaying beside him on a crate, her green eyes peering over the heads of the swarm of ninja and civilians.

"You know you could have gotten a closer spot," he grumbled.

"The last thing you need is to be compacted into an area by complete strangers," she explained, nose high as she waited for the Hokage doors to open. As soon as they did, it would be the first time anybody in Konoha would find out who their new leader was. It made her panic, even though Tsunade had promised that they would be reasonable.

Grimmjow scoffed, fighting a sneeze that was already hurting his nose. "What's wrong with me being surrounded by people?" he asked, curious of her answer.

She sighed and put her hands on her tips, tapping her thigh in impatience. She needed to get back to work. "That should be obvious, Jaegerjaquez. You don't know anything about Konoha, and other mysteries cloud you. Besides, you remind me of a cat, and when a caged cat is even further constricted, they'd go wild."

He chuckled. And then sneezed. "Bloody hell!"

Sakura bit back her chortle as she hopped down from the crate. "You know, you're looking a little pale again." She clucked her tongue but started to heal him again. "It obviously wasn't a fever or anything."

He grunted in annoyance, but didn't say anything. At that moment, however, there was a loud murmur breezing over the crowds as movement was scouted ahead. Sakura pulled away from Grimmjow and rested her eyes on the ledge above, waiting in anticipation.

Grimmjow scowled, a hand cupping his bleeding nose while he tried to hush the pain. "What's got your panties in a twist?"

Sakura glared. "At the moment, you."

He grinned goofily, and she froze, staring back at him with narrowed eyes.

"You insufferable prat!" she yelled. She groaned loudly in frustration. "Sometimes I think you do this on purpose!"

"Oh! He's coming!"

"There he is!"

The rosette's anger diffused instantly into the air and she whirled around, eyes peering above the cheering crowd as Tsunade stood by the edge of the tower, her back turned to the swarm as she nodded at someone behind her. The new Hokage approached the railing, the blue hat shielding his face until he lifted it, revealing a pair of pearly white eyes.

"No way!" Sakura cried, clutching her chest as though a kunai had struck her.

The crowd burst into loud screams of mirth as Neji Hyuuga tilted his head and removed his hat, sending a confident smile to those before him. Grimmjow cringed at the sheer loudness of the cheers, and sent dirty looks at Sakura who was jumping up and down excitedly on her wooden box, clapping her hands. He half wished that she'd fall from it.

Tsunade made a simple signal and Konoha went quiet. Neji then spoke, his voice commanding over the throng below him.

"I may not live up to the standards the previous Hokage's have set before me, nor to their overwhelming stature, history and strength! I may not go down in Konoha's history as the most influential Hokage, or the one who led this village through a prosperous length of years, but I know that I will play some part in your lives as your Leader, as your Protector! And I will only be known in Konoha's history books as a good Hokage, one who didn't break the already mighty chain of strong-willed Hokage's who encouraged the Will of Fire within all of you, if you will all support me! If you accept me!

"So that is what I ask of you now, Konoha! I _swear_ that I will protect you; that I will serve you; that I will honour this village and its people, both old and young, until I draw my last breath! My life is yours, if you'll have me!"

Sakura felt the earth beneath her feet tremble in fear of the conquering cheers of the people that stood upon it. It was loud and chilling; beyond the use of words that Sakura couldn't even conjure to the tip of her tongue. It was just hard to believe that someone she knew personally was now the Hokage; it moved her to tears.

Neji Hyuuga, known as the Caged Bird among close friends, was now flying free, with the support of Konoha as the wind beneath his wings. With their acceptance, he was watching over them.

And all this experience was shunted quickly when a guttural snort left Grimmjow's nostrils.

The rosette scowled, the goose bumps covering her arms and legs gone, as she turned to the blue-haired man to see him covering his nose and nursing it. She crossed her arms while she plopped down from the crate.

"Why do you act like this?" she asked, though her voice was hardly heard over the crowd.

"Like what?" Grimmjow responded harshly, his eyes narrowing.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know, like you'd rather live without a protector such as a hokage."

"Woman, where I came from, we had someone who lorded over the others as well..." he said, his eyes glinting maliciously, "...and he was a psychotic, power-hungry lunatic. A position that hangs over everyone else's only invites greed and a god-complex."

"Then you were just unlucky," she stated without a moments breath. "Or maybe that's just you."

"Is that so?" he said smoothly. "And what makes you think that?"

"You remind me of a cat, remember? A cat is completely independent. In its own way, they are the ones who are in control of what happens to them, they are the ones who command as long as they have freedom." She took a step closer to him. "Is that right, Jaegerjaquez? Tell me how you differ."

He growled loudly, his chest vibrating from the sound, but Sakura wasn't deterred. He pushed himself off his slouch against the wall and stood right in front of her, so that her breasts were almost brushing his chest. He looked down on her, and she looked right back up at him. His show of dominance shook her, but she stood strong.

"Tell me about where you came from," Sakura ordered almost.

"Heh," he chuckled, his breath brushing over her fringe and forehead. "Is that what you guys have been wanting all this time?" She didn't respond. "Sorry, but I don't remember much." He turned, stuffing his hands into his pockets, intent on leaving the area and heading back to the hospital where he'd be in peace and quiet.

"You're lying," she stated, following after him. The crowds were slowly starting to disperse.

Grimmjow merely sent her a cheeky grin.

* * *

"You don't look too happy," Neji Hyuuga stated as soon as Sakura entered the Hokage office, a sour look on her face. He thrummed his fingers against the table of his new desk in amusement before righting himself.

The rosette didn't react, just bowed slightly. "Lord Hokage."

"I still am not used to that," he responded light heartedly.

Sakura nodded at the other occupants in the room; Shino Aburame, Shizune, and the former Hokage. That was all who were involved in the future of their unexpected and suspicious patients. She looked forward to how this would end, because at last she'd be free of them. Jaegerjaquez was a persistent thorn in her side, and Cifer was as stoic and unrelenting to talk as a wooden pole—she would have said ice cube, but ice eventually melted, and he didn't seem able.

She cast her eyes back over to Neji and felt an awkward shiver trail down her spine. It was too weird to see him behind that table, with the Hokage hat perched on a small table a ways behind him. He still wore the white robes from hours earlier that day—t'was now late afternoon—and had a haggard expression on his face as his pearl-like eyes swept over the medical reports.

"Okay, let's begin," he spoke.

Tonton oinked in agreement, trotting about Tsunade's sandalled feet who sat on the ledge of an open window, her arms crossed; Shizune was by her. Shino nodded.

"In previous discussions regarding the two patients, Ulquiorra Cifer and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, we have concluded that using direct force, or even hidden methods, to gain some information would only wound our chances of learning of potentially interesting backgrounds. This meeting is to discuss what shall become of the two," Neji began.

It was scary how formal he was being.

"They seem sincerely oblivious to our village, as well as a number of other key names around the world," Tsunade said. "Perhaps letting them into the village and teaching them of our ways, our history and such, would help discreetly getting the information we'd like."

"That can be harmful," Shino pointed out. "How is it harmful? Because they may use the knowledge of ninja against us, for whatever people they once knew in their history."

"I don't think both of them want to return to their old life," Sakura said. "Jaegerjaquez was particularly against the idea of accepting a new leader to govern over others, and he made hints about his past life that suggested that he wouldn't want to go through the same experience. In that case, keeping him in the village may be harmful in another way."

"Sakura, you once described him as a feline," Tsunade stated.

"Yes."

"Like every other cat, he'd want to be in a place where he can get what he wants, without costs. It seems to me as though someone in his past life was using him in a manner that he resented."

"So you're saying that accepting him into the village as a citizen may be something he wants?" Sakura asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," the blonde confirmed. "Cifer seems a little more difficult. I'm under the impression that he's like a walking time-bomb. He'll be harder to deal with."

Neji was listening intently, as though he didn't want to stuff up on the first day of the job. Sakura only knew that their group of friends would no doubt drag the Hyuuga into a party in celebration, and she internally sighed when she realised that she'd be able to drink to drown her tire and frustration. Tomorrow was going to be a public holiday because of the induction of a new Hokage. The hospital wouldn't be closed, there'd still be nurses, but she was allowed a day off thanks to Tsunade.

"Shino. Sakura. Your opinion?" the Hokage asked. "I'd have to agree with Lady Ho—Lady Tsunade on the matter of Cifer. He'd probably need a longer period to cool off, before we consider introducing him into the village, and if we do."

"We'd have to be careful on how we deploy him into Konoha, then," Shino added. "I concur that he could change without a moment's notice."

Sakura nodded. "I agree, but all the same, it may be beneficial for us if we integrate them into Konoha. It doesn't seem as though they had any life in any of the regions nearby, and we'd probably get nothing out of them until they can trust us."

"If even then," Shino added.

"I think their future has been decided quite quickly, don't you think, Lord Hokage?" Tsunade said with a smile, her lips curling up in amusement.

Neji seemed a little ruffled by the title still, but was able to respond smoothly. "It seems so. Though they'd need a teacher, of sorts; someone who can help them." He regarded them coolly. "I already have a few applicants in mind."

Sakura snorted. "And I wish them luck."

He smirked. "Don't count your blessings yet, Sakura. I was going to choose you."

* * *

_Tell me, who could see that coming? *wicked grin* And did anybody see Neji coming as the Hokage? Did anybody like his speech? I think it was a bit quick, but he isn't much for words, ne? I don't think I actually said how old they were, but I plan to sometime soon. Anyway, they are in early twenties._

_Anybody understanding the summary a little better now?  
_

_Please give feedback, alert or favourite! Thank you. :D And check out my poll!  
_


	3. Wrath

_Whoops about the deletion. Sorry! Anyway..._

_Hello, people. Just to let you know, I have not died or disappeared or anything. I haven't wanted to write at all since the start of the year, but I'm slipping somewhat into a writing mood again, so fingers crossed that I'd be writing more. I'm not going to give up that easily! _

_Btw, I REALLY (seriously!) appreciated all the feedback you guys have given me (and that so many of you were surprised about Neji being the Hokage. Heehee. Harhar). Some of you wondered where Naruto was in all of this but really... of course I'd be covering him in the next chapter (aka, this one). I wouldn't forget that that easily. And Ulquiorra. This green-eyed man hasn't been featuring as much but it's purely because he's under constant watch and in good condition. He WILL get more screen time. It's a triangle, after all.  
_

_This chapter may not be as interesting, but it leads up to the next. So, please enjoy! XD

* * *

_

—**CHAPTER THREE—  
**_Wrath

* * *

_

It burned.

The anger inside him.

It was... almost...

It hurt.

Releasing a cry of fury, the blond buried his clenched fist into a tree, the wood instantly giving way and shooting in an array. Splinters stuck to his broken skin, his knuckles bleeding as he wheezed and turned around, punching another trunk that fell like a doll.

Again, and again, he destroyed the forest around him, hissing, spluttering, his hair rising, his body bleeding and sweating.

"Why?" he seethed, his teeth clenched as he glared at a knothole in front of him before demolishing the trunk. "Why! All these years I've sweat blood for that goal! All these years I've tried to prove I'm not just a menace to this village! and that I want to protect it!

"I was beyond prepared to sacrifice my own life, and _he_ gets it?" he screamed. "What did he do right that I did wrong? What! _What_! It was all because. Of. Me that he gained more respect from his peers, while I had to work for that recognition!"

With one last punch, he stood frozen, panting deeply, his sweat and tears coating his body like a new layer of clothing. Blood dribbled from the numerous cuts that covered his knuckles and the few stray splinters that grazed his whiskered cheeks.

He snarled as he straightened, feeling a rush of his chakra wash over him and spur. "No," he whispered hoarsely, and breathed in deeply. "Enough. Just... enough."

Just an hour ago, he had seen the new Hokage.

Kami, those words alone tore his heart. He couldn't, and almost wouldn't, believe that any one else should be up there but him. It should have been him, but Tsunade chose _him_—someone else. When he had been informed that the new Hokage had been selected those weeks before... yes... he was furious, and at first had thought Tsunade was keeping him in suspense that it was him and planning on surprising him.

He had hoped so, and had even asked her, but he had learned the truth. No. It wasn't him. And neither Sakura's or Kakashi's or any of his friends could reassure him properly that it would all be for the good.

Releasing a heavy sigh tinged with fury, Naruto raked his bloody hand through his blond hair, smearing the crimson through his locks. He trudged across the debris of the small training field, his sandals breaking thin twigs and scuffing across larger branches and logs. Gazing at the sky, he noted that it was now nearing night, the sun slowly merging with the rustling leaves of the trees tops surrounding Konoha. From there, he could easily catch sight of the Kage mountain.

The rage and envy swirled within him again. The sight of those carved faces was like acid to his heart. His father was on that mountain, his stony gaze looking down over the village that he once protected. Naruto longed to protect the village as well, but now... he wasn't sure he wanted to.

He felt betrayed. Tsunade was like family, and she even once told him that she'd hope he'd make Hokage one day, and that he had the potential, but then why Neji...? What did the Hyuuga have that he didn't? Why did she choose him to become that Hokage?

It was unfair.

Naruto growled to himself and swiftly turned, walking away from the place he once called home but now left a bitter feeling in his stomach. He needed time to himself; to think; to understand what exactly he was going to do.

* * *

Neji Hyuuga truly wondered if his life was forfeit as he sat amongst his friends nursing a cup of sake, his pale eyes flickering towards the door of Hinata's house in well-disguised worry. Sakura hadn't looked pleased at all as soon as she understood the words that had left his lips during that meeting. And he wondered if Tsunade's impish but 'you-are-doomed' smirk was part of his imagination or not. Even now he wondered, after witnessing Sakura leaving the office in ill-contained anger. He didn't doubt that the next day he'd receive a notice that a training ground would need some heavy fixing because of an out-of-control rosette.

Was it truly that bad, though? Was she overreacting?

Well, considering she had mentioned several times beforehand that she was looking forward to losing those two as her patients... then no, she wasn't overreacting.

Still, the Hyuuga couldn't help but worry, even with the celebration around him. What's worse was that Naruto was nowhere to be seen. He had seen the blond when Konoha received news that a new Hokage been elected and it wasn't him several weeks ago. He was crushed, but after a week or so, looked a little better about the situation.

He bet that the Uzumaki didn't expect the Hokage to be in his circle of friends, though.

Hardly Hokage for a day, and already he had a list of things to do; a list he knew would grow exponentially as the days went on.

"What's the face for?" Kiba asked as he sidled into the empty wooden seat next to Neji, taking a swill of his drink.

Neji copied him and exhaled. "Nothing much," he said, as he traced his finger around the brim of the cup.

"Uh huh, and Akamaru's a cat," was the rough reply. Said canine was brushing his tail across the floor where he sat by the entrance, his tongue lolling and his beady eyes watching the people partying.

The Hyuuga managed a weak smile. "Gave my first mission today," he admitted at last.

Kiba shuddered dramatically. "How did it feel?"

"I should of properly considered who I was giving it to, first," Neji said.

"Nah," the Inuzuka dismissed. "You're the Hokage. What you say goes." He paused before shivering again. "I have to get used to that."

"You're not the only one," Neji concurred. "And I didn't accept the position of Hokage to boss people around, Inuzuka."

"I know, I know. Geez. But you're smart, so the person you chose must be the right one for the mission, right?"

Neji took a sip of his sake. "I don't know..." he drew out.

"Hey, Neji!" Ino called, swaying her way over to him from behind and collapsing over his shoulders. He almost had his face planted into the counter by her weight, but luckily managed to adjust in time. Her breath panted in his ear and he cringed at the scent of alcohol. The Yamanaka clearly couldn't hold her liquor properly, or she had loads to drink already. "'Gratulations, baby!"

Kiba out right laughed while Neji groaned to himself. She giggled in his ear.

"Did I already tell you that?" she asked.

"Ino, stop harassing the Hokage," Chouji chuckled, placing his large hands on the thin shouldered girl. He, at least, looked sober. To Neji at least.

"Chouji," the blonde mumbled. If Neji thought she was resting all her weight on him before, he was sorely mistaken when she suddenly slumped over him like a puddle of goo. She released a wistful sigh.

The larger man gently pried a bottle of sake from Ino's thin fingers and set it on the counter, easing her off of the brunette Kage. "Sorry, Hokage," he said.

"Chouji, he's a friend!" Kiba laughed. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind being called by his first name still!"

The Hyuuga didn't oppose this statement, so Chouji took this as a good sign and shrugged, letting Ino drop her weight onto his sturdy frame instead. To this, Neji sent him a very obvious look of thanks to which he chuckled to.

"Beautiful Sakura!" Neji heard Lee shout somewhere in the living room, and instantly he felt the wiggling in his stomach go cold like it was dropped in dry ice. Risking a glance over his shoulder, he saw the pinkette closing the door behind her and being greeted by Hinata. She looked completely at ease, like she hadn't been assigned a mission she loathed just hours before.

Neji internally shuddered. He was not one to underestimate a kunoichi, particularly the ones around his age. They were deadly. And Ino singing his new title under her breath still didn't prove otherwise.

He stared too long as Sakura had met his eyes and furrowed her brow. He looked away the same time Tenten placed two small glasses in front of him, a bottle of heavy alcohol in her other hand. She grinned at him, her tanned skin stretching to make room.

"You promised," she taunted, popping the lid and already pouring the swill into his glass. Neji groaned as Kiba sniffed at the drink.

"Smells good. Lot of alcohol, though," he reported. He sniffed. "Making sure it wasn't poisoned for our new Hokage. Wouldn't want to be taken down too easily, would we."

"Of course not," Neji replied monotonously, placing his sake down and curling his fingers around the tiny glass Tenten had presented to him. He had to make sure not to drink too much.

"Now I'm curious. What was this promise?" the Inuzuka asked.

Tenten laughed, the alcohol probably a reason for that. Neji, however, glared. "None of your business."

Kiba pressed a hand to his chest as though he was wounded, a look of astonishment on his face. "Ouch_, Lord Hokage_. Wounded!"

Neji scowled at the tease. "Nothing new."

Kiba chuckled. "And here I thought that if I sucked up to Hokage I'd get a raise." He raised his sake glass and cheered at Tenten who was grinning broadly, her glass still empty.

The Hyuuga was about to comment before the female brunette butted in. "Neji, pour for me!"

He did, his eyes watching the Inuzuka closely as he spoke animatedly with Shino two seats down from him. Shino wasn't replying much at all.

After he finished, he set the bottle down rather heavily and grasped the glass again, the same time as Tenten. He met her brown eyes and tilted his raised glass at her. She did the like, and together they sculled the shot, slamming their glass on the counter.

Both teammates grimaced at the taste, poking out their tongues in distaste. Peering at the label of the booze, Neji said, "What was that?"

Tenten, her face scrunched up, shook her head. "Dad gave it to me," she got out. "Hinata will have mints. I'm going to get some."

Neji nodded and tried to rid the taste of the liquor from his mouth just as Sakura appeared beside him, leaning over the counter and meeting his eyes closely. Her fingers moved atop the table like his had when she first entered the office before, but now she didn't just look unhappy; she was angrier.

"I'm not one to fight against the Hokage, Neji," she started, accentuating her words. "But you knew exactly that I didn't want to deal with those two again, especially as my charges."

Now was the time to seal the seam. "Ever thought of why I chose you, Sakura?"

"Because I'm their nurse, and I have a better grasp on their personalities. I'm probably more suitable to take care of them because I can always be there," she responded without a hitch. "That's obvious, Neji."

So she did know.

"And while I appreciate the hidden compliment that I'd be suited best to tutor them in Konoha and its history, the both of them together will drive me up the wall. I'd seriously doubt if they'd even be that interested in our place in the first place."

"Someone has to do it."

"Why me?" she complained.

"You know exactly why," he said curtly. He leaned a little closer, so that he could almost smell her scent. "Introducing another ninja who was not already brought up to date with our situation would only cause problems. Besides, the pay is good."

"And on top of helping them I have to work at the hospital," Sakura reminded, frowning. "I'll be dead by stress."

"Sakura, I think you're overreacting about this," Neji said, tightening his lips. "As soon as they are more comfortable in Konoha and have become familiar with people you know, you can ask them to assist you if you must."

"You don't know them," she hissed.

He narrowed his eyes. "I have faith in you, Sakura. Out of everyone I chose you, not just because of everything you listed before, but because you also have experience in dealing with two contrasting personalities."

She huffed, leaning back away from him with an indignant look on her face. "I see. Naruto and Sasuke, right?" He nodded slowly. She bit the inside of her cheek. "Sasuke betrayed us, remember, and is still running loose out there. If Cifer is so much like him, why are you letting him out in the first place?"

"Besides to earn trust?" he asked, peering up at her. Her facial expression didn't twitch.

Tautly, she replied, "That can't be the only reason."

"True. I'm also curious."

"What do you mean?"

"Alike they are. Maybe we can learn something from Cifer that might help us capture Sasuke."

"And what could this man possibly know to lead you to think this?" she asked hotly.

Neji looked deep in thought as he brought the sake cup back to his lips and took a quick sip. He exhaled slowly and softly as he lightly shrugged. Honestly, his answer wouldn't be incredibly helpful, and he was astonished that it was even part of his reasoning. He was normally led by cold, hard facts, but this... Sasuke was a threat to the ninja alliance. Capturing him was a must from all major countries.

What the Uchiha was doing out there, none of them knew. What he was planning, again, none of them knew. With the Akatsuki gone, everyone thought that he would have either been killed in the war or surrendered to Konoha because his life's work was complete—not the whole bringing back the Uchiha clan part, though.

He sighed. "A hunch."

She started. "A hunch? Neji!" she said exasperatedly, leaning down over the counter again. "You're not the type of person to follow a _hunch_."

"I know."

"Then—"

"I don't know."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest but then recalled that Tsunade wasn't exactly hugely positive on everything she did either. More likely, it was because the woman gave off an air that she didn't quite know what she was doing, nor how things were better done and such. On the whole, she was a reasonable Hokage, and she had been doing it for almost ten years.

She'd have to give Neji a chance, first. Tsunade was right. The Hyuuga was someone that anybody could rely on. But that was before he was following hunches!

"I hope you're not going to keep following hunches in the future," she said, slightly concerned.

He shook his head. "No. Trust me."

She sighed. "I do, I just—"

"Where's Naruto?" a voice cut in. The both of them looked up to meet Shino staring down at them, his expression hidden behind his grey jacket and sunglasses.

Sakura frowned, and looked around the room. Neji tapped Kiba on the shoulder (who was talking to Hinata), and the shaggy brunette turned slightly in his chair and raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"Naruto?" the Hyuuga asked.

The Inuzuka shrugged. "Haven't seen him. But..." his eyes widened. "You don't think—No. He wouldn't run away would he?"

"Naruto?" Tenten affirmed, leaning against the counter. "I realise he's dreamed of being the Hokage since he was a kid but... Konoha is his home. He's grown up here. He should know that our opinion of him wouldn't change just because he didn't get Hokage."

"A child-hood dream crushed," Chouji put out.

"My dream was to live a relaxing life, with little to nothing to disturb me," Shikamaru said tiredly, leaning slightly against his larger teammate. "I'm disappointed, sure, but I wouldn't leave home. That would only mean more work." He sighed.

Sakura shifted worriedly. "But it's Naruto, too," she muttered, the anxiety seeping into her pores. "He's quite sensitive. He-he holds onto things."

"We know," Shino remarked. "I don't think it's anything to worry about, honestly. Why? Because he probably just needs some time and some space."

"Or he'd try to assassinate Neji," Kiba stated.

They all glared at him but Ino, whose face was buried into Chouji's nape and her arms wrapped loosely around his neck.

"That isn't funny, Kiba," Hinata frowned softly. The Inuzuka drooped in his chair, and sighed.

"Didn't mean it." He clicked his fingers and Akamaru slowly padded over, slipping his snout under Kiba's tanned fingers and whining quietly. "I agree with Shino. Naruto needs space."

Sakura's lips tightened. "I'm going to see Kakashi. He knows Naruto as well as I do."

* * *

"Wow."

Sakura rolled her eyes, fluffing up the pillow. "I know."

Ino paused, blanket still in hand. "Wow," she repeated.

"I know!" the rosette cried in exasperation, slamming the pillow down onto the newly made bed. Ino winced, two fingers pressed to her head in pain. "Sorry," Sakura mumbled. The blonde was suffering from a particularly nasty hangover, something that Sakura somehow managed to avoid entirely as hers was only slight.

"Let me-let me just... get this right," the Yamanaka stuttered, a hand up. "You have to house two men." A nod. "For who knows how long." Another nod. "And teach them about Konoha customs and the like?" A nod again. Ino paused, frowning. "Are they at least easy on the eyes?"

Sakura exhaled, swinging her arms by her side as she stared out the window. "I suppose..."

"Well, then it can't be that bad, can it?" Ino asked, setting the folded blanket on the end of the bed.

"Trust me. It's bad."

"Aww, how so?"

The rosette grabbed her head. "I hate them."

"Nah," the blonde dismissed, slinging an arm around her friend's shoulder. "Maybe living with them will make you see the better side of them."

Sakura snorted.

"Oh, did you see Kakashi about Naruto?" Ino asked. The rosette tightened under her arm and the blonde froze, staring the female right in the eyes. "Have you _seen_ Naruto at all?"

She shook her head. "No. No, but Kakashi saw him..." she stalled. "Right before he disappeared."

Ino's eyes bulged. "You mean—?"

Again, Sakura moved her head. "Well, I don't know. Kakashi said just to wait."

The florist scoffed. "Of course he'd know about waiting. So what are you going to do?"

She sighed. "Worry... but wait."

* * *

Grimmjow stared at the house he'd be living in for a while, his eyes trailing up to the second story window and then down at the neat little garden out the front, separated by a cobblestone path leading to the front door. Sakura stood beside him, just waiting for him to comment on her home in a negative light.

He grunted. "This is not going to end well."

"Oh, finally, something we agree on," Sakura quipped.

"Funny."

He took one step when she rounded on him, her hands on her hips. "Pray to Kami that you do _not_ have all the instincts of a male cat, because if your sex drive is the same, you better believe that you _will_ be neutered before the day is out."

She watched his reaction closely as an amused, though somewhat suggestive, smile crawled onto his face, baring two slightly sharper teeth that mirrored a feline's. She huffed when he chuckled and pushed passed her, heading for the entrance.

"Don't give me any suggestions," he called.

Sakura gaped before following after him hurriedly, her white dress swaying with her hips at her haste. "It's a fact that male cats practically hunt down the opposite sex when they are on heat." He stopped and turned, giving her a leer. Jaw dropping, she pointed a finger at him. "Touch me, _at all_, during my time, and you _will _suffer the consequences."

"Hmm, and I'm partially curious to see what these..." he eyed her, "...consequences are."

"You are my patient!" she shrieked. "Stop flirting!"

"Then stop bringing it up," he responded calmly.

Sakura paused with her mouth open, ready to say something back, but her jaw snapped closed and she sent a nasty glare his way as she stalked by him. "I won't hesitate to throw a cat out if he's pissing me off, you understand?"

Grimmjow followed after her, irritation flashing across his face. "Will you stop comparing me to a fucking cat!"

"No!" was her instant reply.

He growled, slamming the door shut before scoping the room he was in. He gathered it was the entrance—obviously—and from here, looking right, he spotted the tiny kitchen through an archway, with another joined room with a dining table. There was the bathroom almost opposite him, and a staircase next to it; the bedrooms were no doubt upstairs.

At that moment, Sakura came down from the stairs with a bag, a look of utter distaste on her face. "All the rooms are upstairs. Your room is on the first right, and Cifer's is opposite yours. Mine's at the end."

Grimmjow sputtered. "_He_ is living here as well?"

She slowed to a halt and exhaled loudly. "Here's the deal, Jaegerjaquez. I am now in charge of both you and Cifer. You will both be staying at my house—not my idea and I am, by no means, happy about it—and you will be taught about Konoha and everything that goes with it; that means ninja, food, history, enemies, allies, the like; just common knowledge for any other civilian and/or ninja.

"Cifer will be moving in later tonight, and then—and I hope you don't do anything stupid until then—I will be explaining the rules that go along with my house. Have you got that?" she finished, panting.

He snarled. "Rules and I don't get along."

She waved him off, entering the kitchen quickly for a glass of water. "There aren't that many, and they're pretty basic. A genin could follow them."

"A what?" he asked, scrunching up his face. "Che. Whatever. Point is, I don't like being told what to do."

"Jaegerjaquez. If you do well here, then you may very well become a part of this society and therefore have the freedom that goes with it," she explained.

His eyes slimmed. "How is any of that good?"

"I was under the impression you wanted to live a normal life from whatever you had before."

"I didn't realise this place constantly had someone leading everyone else," he said gruffly.

"Didn't you even listen to his speech?" Sakura asked, hotly. "A good leader doesn't force people without good reason."

"You're being forced into this, aren't you?"

"'Without. Good. Reason'," she repeated, eyes ablaze. "I know exactly why I have to do this. I'm not happy about it, no, but it's my duty as a ninja to help keep this village alive through completing missions. It's a system, Jaegerjaquez," she stressed. "And it's a system that works, and it's something that you need to learn."

"I'd be wasting my time."

"Jaegerjaquez—"

"I'm through with working for someone who doesn't care! I work for myself!" he said, his voice somehow louder but low enough that it didn't seem like he was shouting.

"And that's fine!" she screamed back. Huffing, she bit out, "Just see." He growled and made to push passed her but she gripped his arm tightly, earning a surprised yelp at her grasp. He snarled again, meeting her narrowed eyes. "Just see how this village flows _before_ you judge!"

"I don't _give_ second chances."

Sakura let go of his arm, pushing it away from her body as she snappily replied, "Then I should have left you for dead. And if your old leader was such a terrible person, then he would have let you die years ago."

His jaws snapped angrily seconds before he shoved her roughly into the wall and stormed upstairs. Sakura listened as his footsteps echoed around her house and as the door to his room slammed shut. She hushed her heart and exhaled, leaning against the wall behind her and dropping her bag to the floor. She was sweating, now, and she placed a hand to her forehead to cool herself.

What an annoying man.

Sighing heavily, she slid down to the floor and gathered her belongings, swinging her key ring around a finger as she stood and approached a pad at the kitchen counter. Grabbing the pen there, she hastily wrote a message and stole her way upstairs, slipping the note under Grimmjow's closed door before leaving the house at last.


	4. In One House

_Feel free to critique because while this chapter was fun for me to write, I don't know how interesting it is for you guys to read; it was meh compared to my other chapters, I think. I think I may have slipped in characterisation as well. *sigh* I know I always say that. Sorry._

_Anyway. Thank you SO much for your feedback! XD How can I ever repay you? Another chapter? I'll do my best. And I'm having trouble with ROT! T.T I'm stuck because of one scene in the next chapter. Oh well._

_Have fun! :D_

* * *

—**CHAPTER FOUR—  
**_In One House_

* * *

Neji fought the urge to drop his head on his new desk but managed to refrain so, settling with a quiet, shaky sigh and massaging his forehead. His new office was relatively clean, but he only said that because everything he was planning to pack the room with was currently stored in boxes, waiting to be opened.

Tsunade had filled the shelves with books on medical cases, so that they'd be near her for any emergencies or sudden all-night research. He, on the other hand, chose books relating to Konoha's history, clans, records about everything going on in the village (passed on from the previous Hokage's) and others.

He hoped to Kami that _no one_ found the book titled, _100 Ways to Lead a Village Successfully_, a book that Kiba and Lee had given to him. He knew that his oldest friend was just being nice, but he also knew that Kiba was using it as a joke. If anyone found it, he knew he'd lose some of his reputation. Then Kiba would lose something a little more than that as punishment.

But in all honestly, there wasn't much to arrange in the room.

"I had a feeling that was going to happen," Neji stated, blinking slowly – the day's work almost overbearing thanks to the new council – and staring up at Kakashi Hatake.

The Jounin looked frazzled, his leaning silver hair slightly more dishevelled with darker bags under his eyes. "So did I. Still, I thought it best the Hokage to know."

Neji wondered if he was imagining some sort of tone in the other's voice that suggested contempt, but he knew that Kakashi was not the type of person. Besides, they were both tired, and it was more than likely that Neji was just sub-consciously worried that people were going to hate and attack him.

"Thank you. Dismissed."

Kakashi tilted his head in respect then dropped his head, chin to chest, as he walked to the window. Neji blinked in confusion, initially, before understanding, and letting a smile curl onto his lips. The Jounin's hand was on the glass pane, and he slid it open and rested a foot on the sill before he stopped.

"I think you will be a fine, Hokage, Neji Hyuuga," he reminded. "Don't let Naruto worry you. I understand his resentment, but he, too, needs to accept that you are the Hokage."

Neji nodded in thanks, even if the other man didn't see the gesture. He was about to leave through the window completely, but a thought must have entered his mind, and he pushed his weight onto his back leg.

"One question, Lord Hokage."

"Yes?"

"Why did Lady Tsunade choose you as her successor?"

Neji bowed his head, a vacant smile reaching his lips. So there was something else in his tone. "Naruto Uzumaki..." He sighed. "To be honest, she wasn't exactly clear with me either. I feel there is more to it."

"What did she say?"

"That he'd do more for the village if he was not Hokage," Neji answered bluntly. Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "I know. It doesn't make much sense to me either."

The silver-head stepped back into the room, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You're right. It doesn't. But knowing our Lady, she did have something on her mind. You probably already know that she even expected Naruto to become Hokage; had every confidence in him. So—"

"So why me?" Neji ended. Kakashi slowly nodded. "I agree. What a mystery."

"Something that Naruto will definitely want to uncover," he said. "What I'm worried about is how. Will he visit her? Or will he take it up with the council?" He shrugged casually. "Or with you?"

"Encouraging, Hatake; encouraging," Neji uttered. "I trust Naruto not to try anything. Do you think he's in the right mind?"

Kakashi paused for a seconds before answering with a drawn out, "Yes."

Neji lidded his eyes, unamused.

* * *

Ulquiorra gazed around the streets of Konoha, eyes lingering on the happy faces of the citizens and soldiers around him. Few people glanced in his direction when they noticed that he was cuffed and being escorted by two ANBU (their masks were shaped like a tiger and a monkey head), but not many of them had particularly accusing expressions. Their faces harboured curiosity and, well, a little distrust, but he was chained so it only made sense. On the whole, he was a little surprised by the peace he was walking through.

The streets were busy, filled with the sounds of laughing and shrieking children, the buzz of shops and transactions, and the loud murmur of people talking to their friends and neighbours. Ulquiorra was absolutely not used to this. He was not used to such tranquillity, without the knowledge that he was there to destroy it.

A slight nudge from the ANBU to his left made him hurry on a little more, and it wasn't much longer did they leave the semi-busy district and entered a more home-based neighbourhood. Minutes later walking over the fresh, squashed dirt, he was slowed to a halt by a hand on his elbow.

"Here we are," the guard with a monkey mask said, turning him to face the small house. The ANBU chuckled. "Well, well," he said. "Hasn't even been a day, Jaegerjaquez."

Ulquiorra raised an interested eyebrow at the sight of his blue-haired acquaintance standing outside the dark brown front door, pacing the welcome mat off so that there was a visible dark patch in the centre. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of the cargos he wore, and he scratched in annoyance at the fishnet rubbing against his bare chest. He snapped his head up as soon as he heard them, but his eyes slimmed almost instantly.

"Shut up," he growled, going back to his pacing.

The second ANBU member shifted, gripping Ulquiorra's elbow which made it undoubtedly more uncomfortable for the green-eyed man. "And not even a record. Naruto gets kicked out in seconds of walking through her door."

"I don't care who the idiot is," Grimmjow retorted with a snarl. He scratched the back of his head. "I didn't get kicked out," he said slowly, looking away so that his voice trailed off into nothing. Ulquiorra took this as a sign that the man was embarrassed about something.

"Locked out?" Monkey asked, a smirk very easy to imagine on his lips.

Grimmjow made a noise caught between a hiss and a snarl; he bared his back teeth at the ANBU, but they just chuckled at the reaction.

"Losing your touch, Grimmjow? You haven't even punched down the door," Ulquiorra stated tonelessly.

It was blur that ended with Tiger holding back the blue-haired man who was stretched out to grab at Ulquiorra's throat, his fingers flexing as they hovered over the white skin. Cuarto's Adam's Apple bulged visibly as he swallowed, his green eyes staring down at the tanned hand.

"Woah, boy," Tiger warned.

Grimmjow stepped back to the side of the masked man, ripping his arm from his grip and turning back to the house, mumbling under his breath. Ulquiorra watched him as he walked down the path, passing the small shrubs with white buds lining the edge.

"Say anything like that again Cuarto, and next time I'll hit you," the roguish man advised, hands once again in his pockets as he leaned against the front door. "Where the fuck is she?"

"Oh great. I come home to hear my name being cursed at," the familiar female voice played, and the four men glanced down the path to see the rosette sauntering towards them, two bags in her grip with her wallet tucked securely in her palm. Her eyebrows were slanted firmly, sight flaunting over the cuffed Ulquiorra and the two ANBU to settle on the kicked kitten. "Go for a stroll, Jaegerjaquez?" she asked.

Tiger and Monkey chuckled in amusement when Sakura's scary expression returned to her usual cheery one. Grimmjow huffed, glaring at the butterfly roosting on a nearby pot plant.

"Well, this is our stop," Monkey said, grinning, slipping out a key from his grey breast plate and unlocking the cuffs restraining Ulquiorra. "Are you fine to take care of them, Sakura?"

She shrugged. "I'll have to be." She tilted her head at the blue-haired man. "Jaegerjaquez, can you please take these inside? Cifer, go with him. I'll be in in a minute."

Ulquiorra nodded curtly. "Need the keys, Nurse!" Grimmjow called.

Sakura raised an eyebrow, twisting her lips up in confusion and mild amusement. "How'd you get out?" she asked, the end word shifting into a half giggle.

"Window," he grunted. "What sort of window closes after itself and locks anyway?"

The rosette tossed her head back and laughed. "Those windows were from the family who lived in there before me," she explained, forcing the bags into Ulquiorra's hand – he twitched at the contact and contemplated dropping them – and then tossing the keys to the man on her porch. "Their little girl kept sneaking out, so they'd punish her by locking her out."

Grimmjow sniffed, opening the door, entering the house, and slamming it shut in Ulquiorra's face. The Cuarto paused, rolled his eyes, before following after his acquaintance and shutting it softly.

Sakura shook her head. "Thanks guys." She waved a hand at the two ANBU, slipping her hands onto her hips and stretching her back. "Did I miss anything? Something new I need to know of?"

Tiger cocked his head to the side and Monkey shook his head. "Just be careful. Those guys are certainly like Naruto and Kiba," the former compared.

She nodded, smiling.

"And I'd recommend changing that window. The next time Jaegerjaquez leaves, I doubt he'd wait patiently by the front door for you to return," Monkey smugly spoke, patting the rosette on the head before shifting into nothing, gone. Tiger gave a mock salute before following after, leaving a giggling Sakura.

"Right," she murmured, biting her bottom lip. "This is going to be eventful."

She feared the moment she'd open her front door, and when she did, she steeled herself for whatever was on the other side. Except she was pleasantly surprised. There was just Ulquiorra standing in her tiny living room, looking around curiously at the framed pictures she had hung up and set about on any tables placed about the room, such as either end of the ivory two seat couch, near the kitchen and next to the bookshelf and door. There was the odd plant she had put out, because Sakura needed to see life in her home to feel comfortable.

"Sexta sulked his way upstairs," Ulquiorra monotonously informed her, sight drifting to the cream coloured ceiling.

"That's where his room is," Sakura told him, peering into the kitchen to at least see her groceries on the counter. "Thanks, Cifer."

"Hm."

"Yours is up there too," she said as she began packing away some food. "It's opposite his." She watched, actions slowing, as Ulquiorra climbed the steps. She noted how he was about to put a finger against the wall but decided against it in the last second and instead glared in disgust before disappearing around the bend. Sakura shook her head, putting away the eggs.

She was honestly worried about this arrangement. She had felt the flare of battle just seconds before she approached them outside, and, at that time, was upset that her fun time shopping was ultimately ruined by two temperamental men. But, she had to admit that seeing Grimmjow outside was amusing, and that relief boosted happiness into her system when she noticed that he had not destroyed anything of her home. Briefly she wondered why, but ultimately didn't care.

That is until he did sometime later on. Yes, Sakura was predicting that her house would fall apart because of two such opposite personalities being forced into a small home – with hers in addition.

Yup. Tsunade must be enjoying this – that is if she wasn't so worried about Naruto's location that is.

Sakura forced that thought from her mind quickly with a heavy sigh and a shake of her head. Several thumps upstairs made her pause in folding the bags, but then silence followed. Leaning against the counter, Sakura sucked in the inside of her cheek and tapped her fingers against the edge.

_Maybe this is what Mothering is like_, she mused.

An hour later and it was eerily quiet as Sakura rested on the lounge, feet hanging over the arm rest, reading a book. She was hungry as well, which meant it was time for food. Bookmarking the page, she set her book down, glanced at the clock (early evening) and traipsed upstairs to where it felt like she was walking to her doom.

She glanced at both closed doors, quickly noting the dark shadows under one (Grimmjow's) compared to the lack of it on the other. Sakura rolled her eyes and knocked on Grimmjow's door. "Jaegerjaquez. What foods do you like?" she called.

"Not that disgusting hospital food, that's for fucking sure!" he shouted back.

Sakura frowned, biting back the urge to yell back. It was habit, like playing ball. If one yelled at her, then she'd certainly yell back.

"I don't cook the hospital food, idiot," she snapped. "I'm going to cook dinner now, and was just wondering."

A click behind her and she glanced to see the other door open, Ulquiorra stepping out still wearing his hospital gown. He blinked, staring at her stoically. "I am unusually hungry," he stated.

"Unusually?" she repeated.

There was some loud noises, like thumps and sliding, before Grimmjow's door slung open and he towered over the rosette, hands on the door edges. But he wasn't looking at her. He glared at Ulquiorra for one long hard minute before dropping his eyes at Sakura, who matched the fiery expression with one of her own.

"Meat. Roast; pork; lamb, whatever. I don't care. It's all the same to me," he answered.

"Why am I under the impression that you're competing against Cifer without him even knowing?" Sakura rhetorically queried. Grimmjow growled and Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow, amused by the finding. "Fine. I'll cook something up," she said, pushing Grimmjow back into his hovel and turning to the other. "Cifer, there are some spare clothes on your bed you can try until we get some new ones for you."

"Don't worry, Cuarto, they aren't laced with poisoned," Grimmjow mocked.

"Didn't cross my mind," he stated. "These are fine."

"They're hospital gowns," Sakura said. "We actually need it back, so please get changed."

Grimmjow snickered and Sakura slapped his shoulder, scowling at him. "Leave him alone."

"He brings it upon himself," he protested, glaring at her.

She steeled herself. "Look, you're in Konoha, a place that neither of you seem to recognise, so let the man be to regain his senses, otherwise you'd lose your own – by me!" she shouted.

"I don't need to be defended," Ulquiorra cut in, green eyes slimming in insult.

Sakura snapped her gaze at him for a second. "I'm not defending you. I know you're perfectly capable, after all you gave your friend a broken nose – and why are you not wearing your bandage, Jaegerjaquez?"

"It was pissing me off!"

"We are not friends."

The two fell into short-sentenced squabbles. Sakura soon felt as though her head was fizzing and she held up her hands and clenched them, biting her bottom lip in frustration. She exhaled heavily, placing a hand on either chest – she hadn't realised they were standing so close to her in the thin pathway – and then firmly pushing them back into the doorway of their respective rooms.

"Look, _boys_," she accentuated. "Please, just stay in your rooms until dinner, and then I will call you down and we will eat dinner together _– together_," she repeated. "And after we're done, I am going to talk to you about what is going to happen, and you can say whatever you want then, okay?" she ended calmly.

She didn't hear any response and looked up to see Ulquiorra's door closing in her face. She blinked, becoming noticeably aware of Grimmjow's panting chest against her hand. She jumped and stepped back, looking at her hand as though it was burned.

"Just a word of advice," he hissed. "Don't _ever_ talk to me in that tone again. I don't care if you do it to Cuarto because Kami knows he acts like a fucking child and needs some pathetic mothering, but don't talk to me like that again."

He paused a moment to see if she had got the message before turning back into his room. He was about to close the door when Sakura spoke again, making his body turn to stone.

"Were you abused, Grimmjow?" she asked.

He noted the use of his first name, as if she thought he'd burst out his heartfelt story about his past. But Sakura took notice of the way his eyes drifted towards Ulquiorra's door for a brief moment before he spared her a glare and slammed his door shut. She heard him collapse onto his futon and mutter some curses.

Now silent, Sakura looked back at Ulquiorra's door, sucking on the inside of her lip in contemplation.

Why had Grimmjow gazed there after she asked her question? Just what sort of life did he – and Ulquiorra – go through?

The questions just kept coming.

* * *

The green-eyed stranger came down first after Sakura told them the food was ready. He was holding the folded white gowns and set them on the table next to the couch before following the scent of food. He watched Sakura set down white bowls, with silver chopsticks right next to them. He eyed the stew still sizzling in the hotpot centred in the middle.

"It's not poisoned," Sakura told him, cracking her back and wiping some condensed steam from her cheeks.

Ulquiorra fought the urge to roll his eyes. Why was everyone saying that to him?

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's a beef stew, mixed with vegetables and… some rice." She took the lid off the steaming bowl of rice and set it to the side. "Edible, is all I can say considering my cooking."

"Your cooking can kill?"

Sakura scoffed. "So my friends say, but it's just an ongoing joke. Burn toast just once and no one forgets it."

"Toast?"

"Yeah, you know." She gestured to the toaster. "Toast. I forgot to set the timer back, so when it popped it was all burned."

Ulquiorra stared at the contraption, and annoyingly realised that he honestly didn't know too much about human technology. There was no toaster in the kitchen back at Huenco Muendo – speaking of which, there was basically nothing there in the first place – so the cuisine was never made. Arrancar weren't required to eat to regain energy, as it wasn't often they felt the effects of hunger.

"How are the clothes?" she suddenly queried.

He blinked at her in a poker-face like fashion.

"Do they fit?" she asked again, approaching him and testing how tight the sleeves were around his biceps. He took a step back when she was about to touch him, narrowing his eyes at her in distrust. "I wasn't going to try anything," Sakura told him. "Just checking."

"They fit fine," he answered firmly. "Whether they're comfortable is another matter."

She nodded. "I see. We'll get some things tomorrow for your stay here."

"How long will we be stuck here?"

Sakura stopped at the use of the word 'stuck'. He made it sound like they were in a prison, confined to cells and forced to stare out their windows all day long. Well, no, it wasn't going to be like that at all. It was just like that for that day, because she was not in the mood to argue with them and them with each other.

"We'll talk after."

At that time, she heard Grimmjow storming downstairs.

* * *

Dinner was so awkward to the point that Sakura swore she would have had more fun at one of the traditional meetings the Hyuuga held every month – provided she was invited to it by one of the members. Point was, it was horrible. Her food she actually enjoyed, and neither of them complained about it, but there was only the clinking of chopsticks on the bowls and the tense atmosphere that made her hair stand on edge.

She had caught Grimmjow glancing at Ulquiorra every now and then, but the latter ate silently and mechanically, pausing whenever his utensils were in front his mouth before he popped it in. Sakura wasn't going to admit it but it was starting to get on her nerves. He probably didn't even realise he was doing it.

When dinner was done she practically had to tie Ulquiorra to the chair as he wanted to return to his room and told her that he wanted to avoid company with trash. Grimmjow stayed without a complaint, leaning over the now empty table, watching in amusement as Ulquiorra wrestled Sakura off of him while he tried to rise from his chair.

"Tch," the green-eyed man uttered, glaring at her. He wasn't exactly sure how to handle the woman. How was he supposed to get her off of him without touching her inappropriately?

Her stomach was relatively safe, but it was pretty close to her abdomen, and well, he didn't want his hand to slip – God forbid. Her shoulders were also safe but the last time he attempted to pry her off him she had to twist so that his hand _did_ slip and ghost over her breast. He had pulled back momentarily in surprise, red lightly staining his cheeks and Grimmjow chuckling at him opposite him.

Ulquiorra fluttered his lids in surprise at finding himself suddenly literally tied to his chair. His eyes widened and he stared at Sakura next to him in dismay before Grimmjow suddenly burst out laughing.

"That was so funny!" he shouted, slamming the table top. Sakura dropped a fist as his palm hit it again, and he winced, his mirth gone as he glowered at her.

Ulquiorra scowled. "What did you do, woman?"

She gave him her attention, her face vacant. "A Gen-jutsu."

"Gen-jutsu?" they said at the same time.

Sakura nodded. "It's an illusion-based offence and defence. I cast it when you looked me in the eyes before, giving me the chance to tie you down. I released it just then."

"Don't. Ever. Do that again," he seethed, back teeth bared. Grimmjow didn't look exactly happy either.

The rosette continued. "This is a technique that many ninja can do. We use it in combat, in interrogation, in stealth, and anywhere else. They're often used best by ninja who have good chakra control."

"Sounds like Sōsuke fucking Aizen," Grimmjow cursed, shoving his fist from his hand and leaning back in the chair – it creaked.

Sakura adopted an inquisitive look. "Sōsuke Aizen?"

"Do not speak of him like that," Ulquiorra warned. "He's our leader."

"_Was _our leader, dipshit," the other countered, wiping sweat from his upper lip. "And we all know that his Zanpaku-to had the entire Soul Society under some illusion. Who says that he didn't do the same for us? His pawns?"

"We were not his pawns," Ulquiorra growled, his hands tightening around the curve of the arm rest and glowing whiter – if it were possible.

"Che. Don't act loyal know, Cuarto. I wasn't the only one who disobeyed our 'valiant leader' for my own personal gain."

His chair jolted. Grimmjow grinned at this. Ulquiorra's face was just priceless, but Sakura thought the opposite. For someone who seemed so calm before, the enraged look was incredibly unnerving. She tilted her head at Grimmjow in curiosity but also fear: what was he doing?

"Touched a nerve again, Cuarto? We still never settled who was stronger," he teased, resting his chin in his hand.

Ulquiorra visibly calmed down at his words. "I thought that was settled the time I broke your nose."

Grimmjow tensed. "A nose? What's a fucking nose to death?" he countered, trying not to act anymore angry.

Sakura widened her eyes, looking between the two. They had tried to kill each other before? Naruto and Kiba fought a heck of a lot, sure, but never wished death upon the other. Sasuke had swung into insanity, so he was serious when he wanted to kill Naruto, but neither of her two patients were insane – she didn't think, at least.

"You were on the floor," Ulquiorra responded. "You were unable to attack. I won."

"I was unprepared!"

"Trash," he muttered.

Grimmjow rose from his seat, looming over the table and casting an ominous shadow across Ulquiorra and Sakura. "I don't need to listen to this," he tried to say calmly, kicking his seat back.

"Sit down, Jaegerjaquez," Sakura ordered, her fingers laced much like her mentor, Lady Tsunade, had always done when thinking – or trying to herd back the throbbing pains of a brewing headache.

"What? Not going to use my first name, _Nurse_?" he taunted. Sakura glared. "You think sweetly said words or closeness will get me to fall into place? You're wrong."

She shook her head. "I wasn't trying to do that." This was turning into a disaster. And what's worse was that her own temper was rising to match theirs.

"He's just being a child, Haruno," Ulquiorra informed her, speaking through gritted teeth. "He wasn't abused."

There was a stone-cold silence, followed by a sudden storm as Grimmjow gripped the bottom of the table and flipped it, knocking Ulquiorra flat on his back in his chair, unable to move. Wood shredded the skin from his cheek, pink flesh glistening beneath. The pain was a surprise, but Grimmjow standing over him, a fist ready, wasn't.

"What the fuck do you know, Cuarto?" he shouted, spit flying onto Ulquiorra's face – he winced.

"Jaegerjaquez!" Sakura screamed, alarmed, shooting from her seat.

It seemed he was able to return to his senses, but just barely. His fist was still hovering, quivering like a leaf as he tried to fight the urge to punch the man who dared judge him. He panted, and so did Ulquiorra, who was waiting patiently for whatever to happen next.

Grimmjow had quickly decided. He dropped his arm and kicked Ulquiorra's legs hard – Sakura started, fearing he was going to do more damage than that. He growled something under his breath and started to storm his way to the entrance. Sakura followed, debating whether or not to touch him.

"Don't go outside, Jaegerjaquez!" she commanded. "If anybody sees you walking down the street in the state you're in now, they'll scream, raise the alarm and you'll have a dozen ANBU around you before you can even blink."

He stopped, stepping near to her and towering so close to her face that she craned her head back, her heart beating faster. "So the 'trash' was right. We are being watched."

"No," she said firmly. "No, you are not being watched. If you are being watched, it's by me. Ninja patrol this town twenty four hours per day, every day. If anyone feels threatened, they will be there."

He growled in the back of his throat through sealed lips, glowering at her for a few more seconds before stalking to the stairs. His footsteps echoed throughout the house, and even when he had locked himself in his new room they didn't go away completely. Inhaling slowly, Sakura felt as though she was floating as she moved to her dining room and untied Ulquiorra's wrists, offering a hand to help him up which went ignored.

She inspected her table which now had a crack down the middle where it had hit the wall, and with an annoyed sigh she slipped off the table cloth and folded it, putting it to the side. She tried to ignore Ulquiorra standing by the archway that led to the living room while cleaning up the rest of the dining area.

After a moment, she asked, "Did that look fake to you?"

"Miss Haruno."

"What?" she cracked, spinning around, her eyes narrowed.

And then he bowed at the waist, hands glued to his side. "I apologise for mine and Grimmjow's behaviour."

Shock graced her face and her jaw dropped slightly. It was a moment until he straightened, staring at her calmly, waiting for any reaction.

Sakura was glad that one of them had apologised. While she didn't pin anyone in particular at fault, the fact that he recognised his mistake was more than enough for her to not care who started it. The fight would remain, though; evident through the cracked table, the dent in the wall and broken plaster around it, and the bruises staining Ulquiorra's wrists. And while she was angry that her house was going to look as though a storm had whipped through in only a matter of time, the apology alleviated some of that pain.

"Thank you, Cifer," she whispered.

"We never got to the talk," he said.

She cocked a hip to the side and raised a pink eyebrow. "If I recall, you were the one who was trying to leave first."

He didn't have the gall to look guilty by the accusation; his poker-face remained.

Sakura sighed. "Alright. I had wanted to talk to both of you at the same time to avoid wasting my breath but… it's best to get this over with sooner with at least one of you. Come on. The living room."

* * *

"And what if we do not agree?" Ulquiorra asked. He was seated stiffly in the single seat near the couch, where Sakura was lounging. She had been trying to get him to loosen up for ages, but he just wouldn't. He had also refused her offer to inspect his hands.

She had hardly touched him since the hospital, save for when she was wrestling with him to stay, and when that happened she noticed that he was trying to avoid contact as much as possible – even now.

"That would cause more problems," Sakura told him, leaning back into her seat. "For all of us."

"We must stay here for an unknown number of months, or even years. We must learn about your society, your customs, your common alliances and enemies and even basics of being a ninja," he summed up.

"Yep."

"I don't want to be a ninja."

"That's fine. There's theory as well, so you can just study that," Sakura suggested. "I guarantee that you'd want to know more, though."

"We'll see."

Silence.

"Why must you have so many house rules?" he asked.

Sakura's lips twisted into a cheeky smirk. "Wouldn't you if you had two people with polar personalities living in your house?" He tilted his head as if he saw her point, and it was another minute of silence before she asked, "Who is Sōsuke Aizen? Besides him being your leader?"

Ulquiorra stared at her and she waited patiently for his answer, but she was given none when he suddenly stood and went up to his room, leaving her in the cold with a tray filled with a full kettle and cup, and another empty cup. She sighed, sinking further into the cushion and grabbing a pillow next to her.

Inhaling deeply, she smacked the pillow over her face and screamed into it.

* * *

_Why do I get the feeling that Sakura is going to go through a lot more drama than she already has? Ahh, probably because she will. :P _


End file.
